“It's a form of psychological warfare against educators”: Protective factors for sustaining social justice education in contentious times

Abstract

The recent onslaught of divisive concepts legislation in the U.S. threatens the psychological safety of social justice educators in the workplace and the preparation of K-12 students for participation in a diverse democratic society and global community. This study identifies supports that sustain social justice educators' commitment to teaching for justice and how these supports function as protective factors against external opposition. From interviews of 17 justice-oriented teachers and administrators, ethnographic field notes and documents, findings indicate five types of support that function as protective factors in contentious political times: community-oriented, educational/instructional, structural, legal, and declarative.