ARE Special Conference Bulletin #1
ARE Special Conference Bulletin #1
1/30/08
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE IN EDUCATION
On April 12, 2008, hundreds of Raza Educators concerned with the question of education and how it relates to social justice will convene in San Diego, CA. The conference, organized by the Association of Raza Educators (A.R.E.), will have as its theme “Social Justice in Education, and will be held at a historically African American school, Lincoln High School. Lincoln High is located in one of the most multi-racial and culturally diverse communities in the United States, a community with a large population of African, Mexican, Asian, and Pacific Islanders.
GOALS OF THE CONFERENCE
The goals of the conference will be: (1) To create a network of Raza educators which will be strongly committed to an education that is multicultural and relevant to the student’s social and economic needs; (2) To motivate educators to become involved in struggles within and outside the educational institutions as a way of defending the education of our children, as well as teacher’s rights; (3) To provide a solid understanding of what critical and revolutionary pedagogy is about –thereby arming us with the knowledge and skills to confront the racist-fascist onslaught currently being waged upon the Mexicano-Latino communities and other oppressed people.
Through the Conference on Social Justice in Education, A.R.E. hopes to bring about clarity and purpose to the educational process and uphold the need for creative curriculum and academic freedom as essential to education. As educators, it is our obligation to defend those within our community who are being incarcerated, humiliated, silenced, marginalized, and brutalized, by the police agencies, racist politicians and government officials, social institutions, mainstream media, racist teachers and administrators, and the general white population –who perceive our people as animals, and not humans.
CRITICAL AND REVOLUTIONARY PEDAGOGY
We understand that schools, for all intents and purposes, have become institutions that suppress intelligence and student self-esteem, as well as convert teachers into testing instructors, mechanical engineers, and puppets of the right-wingers who have taken over the administration of the public schools. In response to this unacceptable situation, the conference will work towards helping us create the unity that will enable us to overturn this crusade of injustice and hate, one that only the blind or those totally ignorant cannot see.
Central to the conference will be to seriously look at Critical and Revolutionary Pedagogy, how it can liberate us, our students, our community, as well as enabling us to create an education, which reflects and acts upon the social and cultural realities that exist in our communities.
The conference will consist of speakers, workshops, dialogue, and culture. Confirmed speakers include: Antonia Darder (Professor and writer of Critical Education, University of Illinois), Jeff Duncan Andrade (Activist Scholar, Professor at San Francisco State University), Chente Jimenez (Youth Organizer and member of Somos Raza/Unión del Barrio, Los Angeles), Kobina Bantushango (Chairperson of the African International Student Organization, member of the African Peoples Socialist Party, Florida)
LEARNING, SHARING, AND BUILDING RESISTANCE
If you want to be part of this historic gathering of learning, sharing, and building resistance through the educational process, A.R.E is accepting workshop proposals and pre-registration. Please make your intentions known (workshop proposal or registration) ASAP, as attendance will be limited to the size of facilities.
For more information contact:
Association of Raza Educators
PO Box 740337
San Diego, CA 92114
info@associationofrazaeducators.org