Reflecting on Ethics, Power, and Privilege

Abstract

It is clear that immediate and deliberate actions must be taken to respond to the issues facing African American children and youth in school settings. Teachers, administrators, and teacher educators are called upon to examine school practices and subsequent outcomes experienced by African American learners and their families. To evenly distribute power and privileges in school and university settings, we must engage in self-reflection and critique processes, and understand more about African American culture and incorporate that understanding in interactions with those learners and families. Strategies presented by the authors in this special issue are logical and can be implemented independent of financial resources. What are needed are more "human" resources—the continual willingness and commitment to critique self, other professionals, and school practices and to seek understandings of African American culture that will alter teacher, administrator, and counselor practices.