Bend and Commit

Bending the Arc Toward Justice: Equity-Focused Practices for Educational Leaders by Jajni Shankar-Brown (Editor)
Information Age Publishing, September 1, 2022

Inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the chapter authors in this book reflect on what it takes for schools to accept a leadership role in the call to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice. This writing project is framed as a journey already begun but facing a sociopolitical urgency now that requires educators to commit to a paradigm shift in how we prioritize equity, how we assess our schools' strengths and weaknesses in the pursuit of it, and what leaders need to know to engage whole communities in the work of justice-seeking. Readers will find practical, evidence-based assessment tools designed to surface where, within schools, there is work to be done. There are also authentic stories of schools that may be ahead of others on the road. Particularly useful are the chapters that describe the specifics of intentionally creating "brave spaces" in which to have the conversations, to listen, to do the work, and to change. Bending the Arc Toward Justice offers diverse perspectives from contexts that differ widely but share one thing: the belief that it is in schools that we can find a way when there seems to be no way and to overcome.