Social Justice Resources
The general belief that all people should have equal rights, opportunities, and treatment is the core of social justice. This general idea has shaped policy and practices internationally - as with the United Nations (2006), and professionally - as with the American Counseling Association (ACA) and American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Ethical Standards. Within these broad values are a “commitment to concentrate on diversity, confront the implications of oppression, learn and address the attitudes and behaviors that sustain oppression, and adopt an inclusive mindset” (National Education Association (NEA) Diversity Toolkit, 2017). We have compiled a wide range of resources in this section of our website in order to support school counselors’ efforts to engage in social justice practices in multiple ways that best meet the needs of our students and communities.
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National Education Association. (2017). Diversity toolkit: Social justice. NEA Teaching Strategies.
United Nations. Division for Social Policy. (2006). Social justice in an open world: The role of the United Nations. United Nations Publications.
Guide for Use
A brief note about how to use these guides: Given that a core tenet of school counselor ethical standards includes practicing within the scope of our training and abilities, it bears emphasizing that these ethical standards also apply to the work of adopting a social justice framework of practice. There is great power and importance in openly sharing resources and supporting the collaborative growth of the field of school counseling via shared networks and resource guides, and this is one of our primary goals at CSCORE. Yet just as the adoption of a particular theoretical counseling framework requires adequate training, the work of personal transformation and growth in the area of justice and equity does as well. Thus, we recommend the following considerations when engaging in this work in service to adherence to the highest standards of ethical practice:
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Connect to others already doing the work. Offer your support and show up as an enthusiastic student, ready to learn. We want to acknowledge that this work cannot exist in isolation–if you do not have people in your school that you consider allies or co-conspirators, we suggest you find (or create) networks of support and education outside of your school.
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Create a network of support for yourself, one where you can have open conversations with others in the field that support thoughtful reflection about systemic oppression and your role/identities.
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Work on your personal process for responding to feedback. Consider being challenged a gift, and see mistakes as critical opportunities for growth. Acknowledge harm done and move forward with new information about how to continue improving.
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When pursuing change at the school or district level, prioritize engaging with and compensating organizations that are led by people with lived experience (as much as possible).
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Consider whether the use of a resource is ethical based on your current skill-level and training–for instance, what training is needed in order to ethically implement a restorative justice model?
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Please send us suggestions and feedback, as we want to continue to develop our resources and our awareness and understanding.