Assignment:

Question1:

One of your roles as a counselor entails system`s advocacy. Give an example of two (2) social injustices you have learned about in certain schools or districts that stem from systems` issues. Note several ways you might address such issues to enact systemic changes.

Question 2:

Examples of Social-Justice Cases

Case 1. A parent comes to you one day to complain that his son, who is African American, was passed over for advanced placement/ college prep courses. She notes that many other parents of color were saying the same about their children. When you investigate, you find that all AP courses are predominantly filled with White students. When you inquire about this, the teachers assert that the students of color come from "bad feeder schools" and "aren`t properly prepared" to take AP courses. However, you know this to be factually untrue, that students of color came from all feeder schools. What is your next step?

Case 2. You notice a distinct gap in the college-going rate for first-generation college goers, as compared to youth whose parents attended college. When those first-gen kids do attend college, they seem to drop out at higher rates, particularly for students of color. What is your next step?

Case 3. You notice a distinct lack of parent participation in various school activities, including college-going night, from parents who live in poverty. You are also aware that those families live across town (and there is a poor public transportation system), and that many parents work multiple jobs that do not allow them to take time off from work to attend school events. One day you suggest to a teacher that the school should take offer a parent-event in those families` neighborhood, and the teacher replies, "Are you crazy? There`s no way I`d go to that place!" What is your next step?

Case 4. In examining school data, you note several academic struggles for the English Language Learner (ELL) youth at your high school. There is a disproportionate rate of special education placement of ELL youth, a high rate of dropout of certain ELL students (when you disaggregate the data, you see its mainly Mexican American boys, at the ninth-grade level), and high rates of expulsion for ELL boys (when you look up specifics for the last few years of expulsions, you realize that most of those boys were Black). In addition, you see a low rate of college attendance for ELLs who are excelling at school, and when you do a bit more research, you realize those youth without citizenship are the ones who do not go on to attend college (likely due to the inability to obtain government loans to fund their education). What is your next step?