ABSTRACT
The democratic mission of public schools is central to Margaret Smith Crocco's response, and the power to control what is known and valued must be inclusive and socially just for schools to serve that mission. The question of engagement and activism is located within various contexts where teachers function as mediators between pedagogy, students, and communities. As Crocco emphasizes, a lens of engagement is central to interpreting these contexts because public schools have a responsibility to be inclusive of diverse students, educators, and communities. This democratic view of inclusiveness can guide how social studies teacher education programs promote engagement and activism toward social justice. Social studies teacher education programs can focus upon understanding these systems and developing student, teacher, and community opinions that lead to action and social justice. Crocco's focus upon deliberation and opinion formation are key steps toward social action. These social actions can also be informed by others who have examined social change.
