There is a story in education that remains untold, complete with historical truths that have yet to be fully unveiled. It is a story of oppression and of loss; of the struggle for liberation and the restoration and restitution of rights that have been intentionally dismantled and denied. It is about the power of resilience and transformation governed by the innate universe. We have been programmed to sacrifice our sense of self and accept normalized practices of schooling systems as the only avenue and pathway toward success. Individuals that do not assimilate to conventional models of learning are labeled outcasts, written off and left to discover their own pathway as they navigate life’s obstacles. In many ways, these individuals are the real gems, for they have broken free from the barricades of oppression in the quest for self-liberation and freedom. Truth be told, academic institutions perpetuate systemic injustices, more than they inhibit them, by facilitating a culture that stigmatizes creativity and ingenuity through an emphasis on conformity, structure and adherence to pre-established rules and regulations. The failure to act with purpose and meaning in the educational sector, particularly for minority students, has proven to produce children that are emotionally and mentally disconnected, lacking knowledge of self, universal life skills, and access to coping mechanisms. Focus has deviated from the intellectual spirit of education as many have willingly accepted these standards that now govern the educational sector.
We can all agree that the world we live in needs deep healing and repair. We are physically and spiritually losing our children each day to crime, drugs, prison systems and violence amongst other ill-fated life circumstances. Education is an opportunity for personal transformation and self-actualization; but we must intentionally step outside of our current domain of comfort to unlearn all that we have been programmed to accept without question. Indeed, this is a personalized process that requires both patience and a conscious effort to individualize learning experiences in the educational process. We need to transform our own mindset and perceptions as we actively collaborate with young scholars in the development of an educational system that fosters engaging conversations on topic areas that matter the most to students.
The words that compose the sections that follow were written for those that recognize the pressing and urgent need to remedy systemic oppression by regaining control of the educational sector; for those that consider themselves to be educational reformers, teachers, leaders and social justice advocates, who possess a passion to transform society. This book provides multiple pathways to utilizing education as a means in which liberation and self-actualization can manifest itself in school systems and the larger world.
Research alone did not govern the contours of this text; instead, it reflects the concrete experiences and observations of an educational leader seeking to reform an outdated school system. A system that has been too often shaped by theories developed by individuals who have sought to dismantle civilizations and perpetuate bias; a system which can inhibit our ability to see things as they really are. Rarely have theorists made a conscious effort to proactively consider and integrate the experiences of minorities within the context of their ideologies. For that reason, much of this text emphasizes practical ways in which we can meet the real life needs of students and educators. A true system of education is one that teaches children the principles of freedom, liberation and how to be true to self without any doubt, as opposed to perpetuating systemic injustices (stagnated programming, emphasis on conformity, structure and the adherence to rules and procedures). This book is in invitation to broaden our capabilities as educational reformers in search of more effective practices to reach and save our children.