Anti-Oppressive Education in “Elite” Schools: Promising Practices and Cautionary Tales From the Field

Independent schools are increasingly engaging in conversations regarding racial bias, prejudice, and privilege (Hamilton, 2021). During my time teaching at independent schools, the George Floyd protests illuminated the role that race plays in the manifestation of violence and inequality in U.S. society. Moreover, as schools positioned themselves as anti-racist, so did the backlash of adopting this stance that made national headlines. Interestingly, protests over anti-racist curricula and inclusive policies overshadow whether these “elite” independent schools are, in fact, a part of the problem regardless of the stated mandates of these schools as engines of social change. That tension is the central paradox at the heart of Anti-Oppressive Education in “Elite” Schools: Promising Practices and Cautionary Tales From the Field. The editors adeptly balance critique and constructive paths forward by curating a collection of essays that wrestle with working within “elite” institutions to pave the way toward justice.

Immersing oneself in social justice work relies on adopting an anti-oppressive philosophy of education, which aims to disrupt the constellation of white supremacist, capitalist, ableist, heteronormative, and patriarchal ideologies that inform pedagogy/pedagogical practices (Swalwell & Spikes, 2021). The authors make clear that this foregrounding is essential to reaping the benefits of the book, coupled with an intended audience of “those who learn and work in schools that are pipelines of institutionalized power” (p. 2). If you can change the material conditions of the most vulnerable and are willing to challenge the performance of, if not the pushback of, social justice on your campus—those who are eager to “at least try”—then this book is for you.

As someone who now manages a graduate program consisting of aspiring and early career teachers in independent schools, I share a desire to “at least try” alongside my students. The book provides an honest examination of this imperative throughout its four parts. In Part I, contributors justify the importance of anti-oppressive education and nuance the definition of privilege. I particularly enjoyed reading “Is Becoming an Oppressor Ever a Privilege?,” which calls on educators to no longer focus on privilege as a conceptual tool to underscore the dynamic of oppressive relationships. Instead, the authors focus on interdependence, or how at the heart of relations on Earth is to “facilitate joint flourishing”—or reframing social justice as Mutual Aid.

In Part II, contributions demonstrate how diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) models and initiatives are often severely shortsighted, if not problematic. As someone who has participated in and led service trips, I could relate to the reading on “critical service learning.” If social change rather than padding resumes is the goal, “one shot-student focused emphases” ought to be replaced with longitudinal work that can “sustain communities” while reinforcing critical reflection on students’ role in service to others and in creating a more just world. Further, many of my students of color share their struggles navigating elite schools. “Unspoken Rules, White Communication Styles, and White Blinders: Why ‘Elite’ Independent Schools Can’t Retain Black and Brown Faculty” is a reading I plan to share with school leadership to capture this struggle.

Part III and Part IV provide practical advice regarding how to enhance curricula by being thoughtful about constructing discussions and simulations that can lead to harm if identity consciousness-raising parameters and guidelines are absent. Examples include “Facilitating Socially Just Conversations in Elite Schools” and “We Are Afraid They Won’t Feel Bad: Using Simulations to Teach for Social Justice at the Elementary Level.” These sections and readings further come together to make one of the vital points of the book: White liberalism is not anti-oppressive education, which is predicated on whether we are informed and ultimately prepared to lead students to act rather than prioritize the comforts and interests of those least marginalized. Equity and justice educator Paul Gorski provides an essential afterword that synthesizes the book into this takeaway and three other takeaways framed as “I must. . .” statements that effectively hold the reader accountable to its collective knowledge.

“Is there any way to leverage ‘elite’ educational spaces for justice?” That is the question that the editors naturally return to, and one that you can imagine is left unanswered. However, I remain motivated and passionate, if not more so, after reading this book. Regardless of the policy or space, we must be mindful of the exclusions and the illusions. We live in hyper-politicized times in which the temptation to believe that every perspective is valid, including whether this work is divisive, is thwarting justice. After all, when schools do not engage in anti-oppressive education, they potentially become unintended culprits in the reproduction of social inequities, and they miss out on opportunities to promote compassion in local and global contexts. This book will speak to those important and ongoing debates among scholars and practitioners about equity, justice, and anti-oppression in schools.