Social Justice in the Classroom

Abstract

This chapter looks at the question: What are the possibilities and limitations of a compulsory practice of reading strategically chosen texts for social justice in high school English classes? The chapter is presented in two sections. The first addresses the place of reading practices in a world where there is growing attention to injustices. It goes on to consider how literature plays a role in social justice interventions, and provides a synthesis of research on related classroom practices. The significance of affective dynamics in classrooms where difficult stories are used and where difficult knowledge emerges is emphasized. The second section considers the potential of compulsory programs for justice in schools by looking at the specific case of selected school boards in the province of Ontario, Canada. The boards in question mandated that a high school English course on Indigenous literature and issues be compulsory for its students, in light of the findings of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and related calls for justice for Indigenous peoples. The case is used as a springboard to illustrate factors that need to be considered – if reading for justice is to become a widely used, mandated, program and policy-driven intervention in schools. The possibilities of what might be accomplished through mandated reading for social justice far outweigh the limitations conclude the chapter.