Sara O'Brien – författare

Civic Contestation in Global Education takes readers into classrooms and schools on the front lines of civic education in pluralistic and divided democracies. The book offers eight case studies of educators and policy makers wrestling with schools’ civic and ethical responsibilities around the globe. Examples of the case studies include teaching critical consciousness in an Anti-CRT state, religiously sensitive satirical cartoons and radical extremism, and accommodating religion in schools. Each case is followed by a model conversation among diverse participants based in Australia, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the USA. The participants include scholars, activists, teachers, students, parents, and community leaders from across the political spectrum. Each chapter includes discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. Taken together, these cases and conversations provide readers critical resources both for deliberating about the ethical challenges facing schools in a time of civic disruption, and for charting a path toward a more just and democratic future worldwide. In a German classroom, a student eagerly shares Querdenker conspiracy theories (analogous to QAnon) during a class discussion, doubling down on the importance of “critical thinking” and “looking at all the evidence” when challenged by teachers and classmates. How should his teacher respond? In Madrid, two 12 year-olds spend the weekend convincing a peer to text them a topless photo that they then circulate to their classmates. What responsibility does their school have, if any, to address this out-of-school violation of trust and digital citizenship norms? In Iowa, parents and legislators raise concerns about “critical race theory” being taught in K-12 schools, while in Toronto, a school faces public backlash over constitutionally-permitted accommodations it has made for Muslim students to pray after lunch on Fridays in the school cafeteria. What steps might school leaders take next to respond to public concerns while also supporting the students in their buildings? More case studies and resources can be found at justiceinschools.org.

Civic Contestation in Global Education takes readers into classrooms and schools on the front lines of civic education in pluralistic and divided democracies. The book offers eight case studies of educators and policy makers wrestling with schools’ civic and ethical responsibilities around the globe. Examples of the case studies include teaching critical consciousness in an Anti-CRT state, religiously sensitive satirical cartoons and radical extremism, and accommodating religion in schools. Each case is followed by a model conversation among diverse participants based in Australia, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the USA. The participants include scholars, activists, teachers, students, parents, and community leaders from across the political spectrum. Each chapter includes discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. Taken together, these cases and conversations provide readers critical resources both for deliberating about the ethical challenges facing schools in a time of civic disruption, and for charting a path toward a more just and democratic future worldwide. In a German classroom, a student eagerly shares Querdenker conspiracy theories (analogous to QAnon) during a class discussion, doubling down on the importance of “critical thinking” and “looking at all the evidence” when challenged by teachers and classmates. How should his teacher respond? In Madrid, two 12 year-olds spend the weekend convincing a peer to text them a topless photo that they then circulate to their classmates. What responsibility does their school have, if any, to address this out-of-school violation of trust and digital citizenship norms? In Iowa, parents and legislators raise concerns about “critical race theory” being taught in K-12 schools, while in Toronto, a school faces public backlash over constitutionally-permitted accommodations it has made for Muslim students to pray after lunch on Fridays in the school cafeteria. What steps might school leaders take next to respond to public concerns while also supporting the students in their buildings? More case studies and resources can be found at justiceinschools.org.

How do we reconcile individual student needs with the demands of school, district, and national education programs? What are school-based professionals to do in situations where it is impossible to prioritize all students equally? A pair of new parents in Hong Kong deliberate which schooling model best fulfils the hopes and dreams they have for their children. An administrator in Germany deliberates whether to accept funding for a hybrid learning program as her staff and students share their conflicting experiences of online learning. From national policy to personal choices, each of these ethical dilemmas engages questions of educational equity.Educational Equity in a Global Context presents eight case studies designed to guide readers through complex and nuanced conversations about dilemmas of educational equity and ethics around the world. The case studies include conversations on student grading in the Covid-19 pandemic, the risks and rewards of online learning, equitable homework policies and refugee education. Each case is followed by a model conversation among diverse participants based in Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Kenya, Mexico, the UK, and the USA. The participants include scholars, activists, teachers, students, parents, and community leaders from across the political spectrum. Each chapter includes discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. Readers will come away from this collection with the resources and capacities to deliberate about dilemmas of educational ethics in their own contexts and work towards a more equitable future for students around the globe. More case studies and resources can be found at justiceinschools.org.