ABSTRACT
Reflected through this chapter is an interpretation of social justice in education as inclusive and respectful of everyone’s cultural backgrounds, that of teachers as well as students and their families, of learners’ languages and individual differences, as resistant to discrimination and with the purpose of promoting human flourishing for all. By way of the reflections of an experienced Black head teacher, the author narrates first his own early experiences of marginalisation, others’ disrespect of himself and a sense of personal difference. He goes on to narrate how, as head teacher, he went about putting into practice the imperative for education to be inclusive of everyone, where inclusion is seen as a process of responding to the diversity of needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning activities, and reducing exclusion within and from education.
In turn, the chapter explores:
personal experience of racism and disrespect of the self by others and the human need to feel a sense of belonging;
challenges faced by head teachers who strive to put into practice the principles of social justice and inclusion in their schools. These are discussed in relation to:
external factors, including the (often potentially) marginalising effect of statutory assessment tests (SATs), school league tables and Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) inspections, pertinent at the time for the author, as well as;
day-to-day challenges head teachers face as they balance the rights and responsibilities of individuals with the rights of everyone else during their encounters with staff, parents and pupils;
how a school leader might respond to these issues;
what influences the decisions they take.
Whilst changes to the way SATs are administered and the Ofsted inspection framework have been made in recent years, an exploration of the pressures school leaders faced at the time when encountering such issues provides useful insight into the demands of school leadership and the contested and, sometimes, contradictory concepts of social justice and fairness in practice. In exploring these issues, the chapter also illuminates the challenges to personal values that school leaders may face and alludes to the possible reasons for problems in terms of the recruitment and, significantly, retention of head teachers.