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Schools and Societal Issues 5

From the Editor

Schools do not exist in a vacuum but rather reflect the society in which they are
developed and nurtured. But what is the role of education—and educators—in addressing
societal issues and, in particular, societal dilemmas and disruptions? If, indeed, as Nelson
Mandela noted, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the
world,” then the relationship between schools and resolution of societal issues is one of
persevering in implementation of excellent curriculum and quality pedagogy. However,
most educators in today’s schools would affirm The Secret Teacher’s (2015) assertion: “I
have three roles in my classroom: teacher, parent, and social worker. Sometimes, the actual
teaching part is the least important of all.”
Authors in this issue of the Bulletin share thoughts on educators’ roles in addressing
complex societal issues. In a February 2018 issue of Business Insider, Loudenback and
Jackson helped to define those issues in providing a list of “the 10 most critical problems
in the world according to millennials”:
• Lack of economic opportunity and unemployment (12.1%) ...
• Safety/security/well-being (14.1%) ...
• Lack of education (15.9%) ...
• Food and water security (18.2%) ...
• Government accountability and transparency/corruption (22.7%) ...
• Religious conflicts (23.9%) ...
• Poverty (29.2%) ...
• Inequality (income, discrimination) (30.8%)
• Large scale conflict/wars (38.9%)
• Climate change/destruction of nature (48.8%)
From this list emerge three key societal issues addressed by authors in this issue: safety,
equity, and quality education.
Perhaps the strongest safety or well-being issue in schools in recent years—apart from
the specific but thankfully more limited violence of school shootings—is bullying. Author
Coy provides an overview of this issue as a prevalent form of youth violence and offers
not only information and statistics regarding bullies and the bullied but also suggested
interventions by parents and school personnel.
Lilienthal, Matyo-Cepero, Messinger, and Mims look at the related but broader issue
of creating an inviting classroom for all students, with particular emphasis on diversity
of gender identity. They provide specific recommendations for educators to ensure
that classrooms and schools are inclusive, inviting, welcoming, and safe places where
all students—including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ)
students—can learn. Editorial board member Perry-Sheldon’s review of transgender
issues provides a fitting complement to the work of Lilienthal et al.
Turning to a more global approach to enhancing understanding that will help address
societal issues, Shockley and Morris describe an in-service program to increase intercultural
understanding. Agan and Cazarez consider ways that teacher educators can make programs
more inviting for nontraditional teacher candidates, and Hozebin draws from the medical
field to explain a way to encourage teacher reflection through more meaningful evaluative
feedback.