Self Assessment

In my current role as a vice-principal there are many ways in which I can and must promote social justice. One of my roles is to be an advocate for social justice. This means that I must be a person that people who feel they are experiencing injustice can come to without reservations. For my position specifically, this means that I will be an advocate for students, faculty, staff, and the general community. I work with a diverse population regarding ethnicity, socioeconomics, and learning abilities. I understand the importance of making sure that I am creating policies and practices that are just for every group within these categories. I can do this by making sure that everyone is seen as an individual person with needs that I can work to meet. Often times people become numbers within schools. This is especially true with the new focus on data driven decisions. One of the most valuable lessons that has been impressed upon me throughout my entire program, including this course, is that I must avoid generalizations. This can lead to marginalization and injustice. Fortunately, one of the best methods to limit and eradicate this is to simply get to know each and every individual with whom a work with closely and those I am responsible for. At the end of the day, justice in my school is largely my responsibility. I accept this with the gravity it deserves. I will also promote justice thorough education. As long as those in my school know what the possible injustices are and how they can avoid them, advocate against them, and work toward fulfilling the mission of justice, I will be working toward seeing justice served. In many cases this means reevaluating longstanding practices and having uncomfortable conversations, but this responsibility comes with my position.

           

There are always barriers to justice, but learning what they are and addressing them will be my mission. One of the most challenging barriers I will face is the resistance to change. Schools are known for systematic and organizational roadblocks. The wheel of education is slow moving and the bureaucracy is strong. In many cases transformative justice is needed, which is a daunting adaptive change. People are comfortable with norms and tradition. However, this can lead to the cultivation of injustice. Challenging people to view a situation through a different lens is difficult. Facing injustice is uncomfortable. Realizing that you are a part of it is unsettling and causes defensiveness. Another barrier for justice in my role as a professional is ensuring that all groups are treated equitably and that they understand that justice is not always equal, but equitable. This requires providing clear rationale and education. An additional barrier I face is that I work in a Catholic school and am employed by the Archdiocese of Seattle. This means that I must adhere to their policies, which do not promote all of the freedoms guaranteed in the public sector, such as sexual orientation and women’s reproductive rights. Catholicism has a differing view of social justice on certain issues than some within my leadership possess. I am contractually obligated to adhere to and promote the beliefs of the church. Therefore, I must use my position to allow people to be as comfortable within this setting as possible.

The skills I possess that will enable me to make a change are my communication and political skills. I have worked many years to polish my communication skills, which are very necessary in my field. Leading students and faculty requires constant effective communication. Since so much of working toward justice is educating people about injustices, I feel as though my skills as a teacher and overall communicator are an asset to me. I have also worked many years to understand the political component of education. I don’t necessarily mean this in the sense of legislation. Schools have political structures. They are social and professional. Understanding whom you need to get on board for change is vital. Working from within is always the best strategy in a school. Many of the roadblocks encountered in schools regarding justice and change in general are members of the community themselves. You need a critical mass to create change, and you need change agents to lead it. Furthermore, knowing whom within the professional power structure needs to be on board is equally important. Additionally, understanding legislation and having a relationship with legislators is also important. I also possess a strong background in political knowledge of this sort that I see as an asset to my mission of social justice in school.

Social justice for me is the same in my professional and personal life. I see my role as a professional as an integral part of myself as a person. I devote a large part of my life to education, and I advocate for social justice the same in both. My personal opinion of social justice is that all people have the right to the means necessary for prosperity. Whether this prosperity is in resources, or personal fulfillment, all people should be entitled to the means they will need to obtain it. My role is to use my position professionally and personally to advocate for the acquisition of the resources needed and to provide them when they are within my means and abilities.