The Promise of Inclusive Education

In this time of heated national debate about diversity and inclusion, an inescapable fact remains: Rapid demographic changes—among and within groups of people—are redefining our society. We have an opportunity to build a truly representative democracy that reflects our increasingly diverse country.

That’s precisely why inclusive education is so important in this moment, writes professor of education Gregory M. Anderson in this article for Learning for Justice magazine. Inclusive education builds critical thinking—the intellectual tools for reflection, continuous inquiry, constructive dialogue and the possibility of changing one’s perspective—and functions as an essential lever for democracy. It will be impossible to achieve a diverse democracy without a solid understanding of how to engage in and learn from productive dialogues about our differences, and those dialogues should start in schools.

Educating for Democracy

Research shows a striking lack of knowledge among adults in the United States about the function and purpose of the nation’s government and democracy, revealing a significant need for effective civics education. But surface-level civics classes are not enough, writes Anthony Conwright in this LFJ article. To meet the needs of our moment, civics education must connect history with present experiences to help students develop their ability to critically analyze the ethics of political institutions at the local, state and national levels.

Let's Talk!

Difficult conversations require courage and skill, but educators cannot shirk their crucial role in helping students talk openly about the historical roots and contemporary manifestations of social inequality and discrimination. LFJ’s guide Let’s Talk! Facilitating Critical Conversations With Students can help. Let’s Talk! offers classroom-ready strategies educators can use to plan discussions and facilitate tough conversations with students.