The Geology of School Reform: Social Justice Humanitas Academy in Los Angeles (Part 1)
Many readers have visited the majestic Grand Canyon. It is an unforgettable sight.
What is obvious to visitors are the strata, geological layers of different shades of red, beige, and brown, that reveal plant and animal life that lived eons ago.
OK, Larry, I get the strata part giving a glimpse of past life in layers piled atop one another. What’s the connection to school reform?
Every district, every school in the U.S. has historical layers of reform piled atop one another although the time frame is far less than an eon. A case in point is the Social Justice Humanitas Academy located within Los Angeles Unified School District. Consider the following official information about the school.
Our mission is to achieve social justice through the development of the complete individual. In doing so, we increase our students’ social capital and their humanity while creating a school worthy of our own children.
According to the website, that mission is the school’s vision of what it aspires to:
A school’s vision is its inspiration, articulating the dreams and hopes for the school community. At Social Justice Humanitas Academy, our vision is: We will achieve self-actualization [original bold-faced]. The concept of self-actualization comes from Abraham Maslow, a leader in humanistic psychology, who understood a good life to be one in which an individual maximized their potential to become the very best version of who they are.
Directly below the mission statement is the following graphic.
While the above statement is general, the mission for the 9th grade entering class in 2018 is more specific:
Our mission is to provide a loving transition into young adulthood by: CONTINUE READING: The Geology of School Reform: Social Justice Humanitas Academy in Los Angeles (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
