"Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out!": Voices from the Front Lines of the Educational Justice Movement

by Mark R. Warren, David Goodman

Parents, young people, community organizers, and educators describe how they are fighting systemic racism in schools by building a new intersectional educational justice movement.

Illuminating the struggles and triumphs of the emerging educational justice movement, this anthology tells the stories of how black and brown parents, students, educators, and their allies are fighting back against systemic inequities and the mistreatment of children of color in low-income communities. It offers a social justice alternative to the corporate reform movement that seeks to privatize public education through expanding charter schools and voucher programs. To address the systemic racism in our education system and in the broader society, the contributors argue that what is needed is a movement led by those most affected by injustice—students of color and their parents—that builds alliances across sectors and with other social justice movements addressing immigration, LGBTQ rights, labor rights, and the school-to-prison pipeline.

Representing a diverse range of social justice organizations from across the US, including the Chicago Teachers Union and the Genders and Sexualities Alliance Network, the essayists recount their journeys to movement building and offer practical organizing strategies and community-based alternatives to traditional education reform and privatization schemes. Lift Us Up! will outrage, inform, and mobilize parents, educators, and concerned citizens about what is wrong in American schools today and how activists are fighting for and achieving change.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Teaching, Politics

216 pages, Paperback

Published August 21, 2018

About the author

Mark R. Warren is a sociologist concerned with the revitalization of American democratic and community life. He studies efforts to strengthen institutions that anchor inner city communities—churches, schools, and other community-based organizations — and to build broad-based alliances among these institutions and across race and social class. Warren is interested in the development of community leaders through involvement in multiracial political action as well as the outcomes of such efforts in fostering community development, social justice, and school transformation; and is committed to using the results of scholarly research to advance democratic practice.

Warren is the author of several books, including Fire in the Heart: How White Activists Embrace Racial Justice and Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy, a book on the Texas/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation, the nation’s most prominent faith-based community organizing network. He is coeditor of a book on social capital-based strategies for combating poverty called Social Capital and Poor Communities. Warren also published a lead article in the Harvard Educational Review on the relationship between community development and school improvement, entitled “Communities and Schools: A New View of Urban Education Reform.” He currently codirects a large scale study of community organizing efforts at school reform and educational justice in six localities across the country.

Reviews

[Alyssa Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*

This is an inspiring collection of essays recounting for successful social justice movements within the education system. It gives a good overview of how such movements can be successful and what, overall, people are fighting for within schools and communities. As someone who is tied to education, I appreciated hearing these people’s stories. It helped me reflect what is being done in schools in my communities, what I would like to change, and gave me a sense for how such a thing could be organized. I think some of these stories would be great shared with students and parents who feel as if they’re not being heard or they’re needs aren’t being addressed, because it shows just how powerful students and parents are within their educational communities.

I loved the diversity of stories represented; this collection not only has stories about addressing racism, but also about addressing students from low-income families and students within the LGBTQ+ community. Most importantly, these stories come straight from parents and concerned community organizers. It is so powerful to hear parents advocating for their children to ensure they have a fair and productive education.

I believe this to be a must-read for any teacher, just so they have a sense of the current situation in education and the pitfalls of zero-tolerance policies, charter schools, and other more blatant forms of racism and oppression. Anyone interested on being involved in their child’s education by community organizing, and anyone involved in education will get a lot of these stories. It provides a decent history of what has been done, talks about what is currently being done, and even briefly mentions dreams people have for the future of education. I highly recommend it.

Also posted on Purple People Readers.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted more from the book although the subtitle does give enough that I shouldn't have expected more because it is voices from the front lines. It's a series of essays written by students and families about their political activism and work on the front lines of education reform because of the historical injustices namely done to Black males in the system.

Some stories are more compelling than others but all highlight the need for more (and unified) work on this movement that has gained speed and momentum but has existed for some time. It's a reminder as an educator but certainly nothing in these pages is (frustratingly) new to me.

It's a quick read that highlights the work being done and should be celebrated and spotlighted.

[TammyJo Eckhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is too easy for the dominant culture to ignore the experiences of others when they are shared one at a time. In this collection of essay edited by Mark R. Warren, we see multiple experiences laid out clearly and powerfully. We can see the similarities and the difference, we can feel the frustration and hope. I don't think any of the essays are poorly written so if you are capable of having an open mind and heart, these should touch you.

The essays are divided 4 subsections but as I read I realized that these subsections are not hard and fast. Community, Alliances, Educators, and Intersectionality are aspects of each group and organizer who contributed an essay. In fact, I'd say without the cooperative nature most of these movements would have disappeared within a year or less. The examples of success (any failures) were inspiring.

The introduction and conclusion by Warren are good but I wish in the conclusion he presented a clearly summary of the commonalities so that readers who want to embark upon the fight for Educational Justice (and justice period) could easily have a guide. Yes, each city, county, and state provides unique challenges but I found the similarities more important for giving hope and direction.

[warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

solid collection of dispatches from the education justice movement. really enjoyed learning about the trailblazers who first named and resisted the "school to prison pipeline" and won big shifts away from zero tolerance and suspension-heavy policies.

other highlights were:
— how a private sector janitor's union comprised of mostly immigrants organized to empower their worker-parents and support them in advocating for their kids' educations
— reflections on the holistic implementation of restorative justice at one school
— reflections from an organizer who supports GSAs in running campaigns at their schools and fighting for broader wellness and liberation for trans/queer youth of color in schools

it's a shame theres no story about indigenous organizing in k-12 schooling in here though. will need to keep looking for those perspectives

[Andrew King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection serves as a blueprint of social justice and emancipatory education frameworks that can transform public schooling in the 21st century. Warren and Goodman have done the movement a great service by uplifting the powerful stories and perspectives of those in the trenches--the students, educators and parents-- who are directly impacted by school policies, providing a powerful counter-narrative to the corporate attack on public education. This book is required reading for all those to who wish to understand the battleground which is public education today.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of cases demonstrating effective advocacy and organizing on educational justice, and also an excellent summative chapter on the major elements of an effective campaign to address so may constituent parts of the problem along with their underlying roots in racism, tribalism, and general bigotry. As much a reference as anything, I expect to return to this, as I have returned to "A Match on Dry Grass".

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this with a specific article I'm writing in mind, so not every article was read word for word. However, this is a good collection of personal essays of those who are working toward educational justice.

[Becca Akins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't love this, but it did have some great essays.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must-read, and not just because my friends wrote a chapter.

[Pierre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book about the extremely relevant topic of the educational justice movement.

[Mills College Library]

379.26 L7229 2018