ABSTRACT
Although the discussion of social justice in school psychology is a novel concept, the premise of the model is aligned with what we do as practitioners and scholars. For years, scholars have discussed social justice issues indirectly via research in diversity, multiculturalism, and culturally responsive practices (Crockett and Brown, 2009; Miranda, 2009; Shriberg et al., 2008). Although indirectly researched and discussed in our field, social justice issues were being articulated in other scholarly areas. Shriberg et al. (2008) were the first to attempt to conceptualize social justice through the lens of school psychology. Using a Delphi method of analysis, they interviewed 44 school psychology cultural diversity experts regarding: (a) their definition of social justice, (b) important social justice topics, (c) advocacy strategies, and (d) facilitators and barriers to social justice work in school psychology. In their attempts to define social justice, Shriberg et al. (2008) found that many of the experts in their study defined social justice as “ensuring the protection of rights and opportunities for all, nondiscriminatory/inclusive practices, advocacy for others, ecological/systemic view, and personal responsibility” (pp. 459–460). Germane to the ensuing discussion is the ecological and systemic view of social justice. Shriberg et al. (2008) further describe this view as “working beyond the immediate context and thinking beyond the school to the larger impact educational decisions have” (p. 461). One of the sample responses coded in this area was “I'd say the practice of social justice in school psychology would work to correct the injustices of our society—poverty, lack of access to mental health and health care services” (p. 461). Hence, a discussion about the development of a social justice perspective in school psychology would be remiss if it excluded the ecological perspective.
