Web Researchers-- Team SMACK
Declaration on the Right to Development
http://www.un.org/en/events/righttodevelopment/declaration.shtml
This is a link to the UN's official doctrine regarding the "Right to Development," adopted in 1986. According to the webpage, this "right to development" is an unalienable right: "everyone is entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.” Here is the Declaration's introductory statement and several of the most profound annexes that seem to effectively address the essential components of social justice.
"The General Assembly, Bearing in mind the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations relating to the achievement of international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian nature, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Recalling the right of peoples to self-determination, by virtue of which they have the right freely to determine their political status and to pursue their economic, social and cultural development;
Considering that the elimination of the massive and flagrant violations of the human rights of the peoples and individuals affected by situations such as those resulting from colonialism, neo-colonialism, apartheid, all forms of racism and racial discrimination, foreign domination and occupation, aggression and threats against national sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity and threats of war would contribute to the establishment of circumstances propitious to the development of a great part of mankind;
Concerned at the existence of serious obstacles to development, as well as to the complete fulfillment of human beings and of peoples, constituted, inter alia, by the denial of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and considering that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible and interdependent and that, in order to promote development, equal attention and urgent consideration should be given to the implementation, promotion and protection of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and that, accordingly, the promotion of, respect for and enjoyment of certain human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot justify the denial of other human rights and fundamental freedoms...."
National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCREST)
http://www.nccrest.org/Briefs/School_Discipline_Brief.pdf
The mission of the National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCREST) is to “support state and local school systems to assure a quality, culturally responsive education for all students.” According to this resource, empirical evidence suggests that exclusionary discipline practices result in further exclusion, school failure, and dropout. School districts should provide staff members with clear definitions of behaviors that warrant disciplinary actions, and the appropriate responses to be taken. Such definitions may be a needed measure to eliminate disciplinary problems that arise and later escalate due to cultural misunderstandings. NCCREST believes that classroom teachers must honestly examine their own practices and biases and how their actions may contribute to the negative cycle of exclusionary discipline for culturally and linguistically diverse students.
The Achievement Gap Initiative
http://www.agi.harvard.edu/
This website was created by Harvard. They have dedicated time and money to creating programs that help close the achievement gap. Some of the projects listed on this website include the Youth Culture program which is dedicated to students and adults coming together to set and reset the rules in school, Much like we did in class. this gives the students a sense of power and responsibility. It also helps with behavior problems; children are more likely to abide by rules and regulations that they have set for themselves. By decreasing rebellion and behavior issues, the students are more focused on their classwork and receive better grades in school. These programs and ideals should be implemented nationwide in schools that succumb to this achievement gap.
Closing the Culture Gap
http://www.nea.org/home/43098.htm
This website has many different lessons, grants, ideas, and issues going on. This article by Tim Walker talks about how teachers should be prepared for teaching to many different cultures. “Helping students make the link between what they learn in the classroom and the life they know outside of the classroom is at the core of cultural competency, a skill sought after by school districts across the country.”
The author also talks about how this is not a “cut and dry” issue and that there is no one answer solution to the problem. There is also the issue of where we talk about to attack this problem. The author talks about somebody who, “participates in a group at her school in Brookline called the Critical Friends Group in which staff members have roundtable informal discussions about navigating through cultural issues in the classroom, particularly strategies on connecting with students’ families.”
School Security
http://www.schoolsecurity.org
Great site for superintendents, school boards, and school administrators to use. It deals with school safety and ways to prevent and manage school violence reduce safety risks, and liability of schools to improve school/community relations. It really gets teachers, parents, and staff on the same page dealing with school safety issues.
“School leaders value our school safety services because we understand the unique K-12 educational climate, culture, politics, and school-community relations dynamics involved in K-12 school safety, school security, and school emergency planning.”
All the information provided is free information for school leaders, first responders, parents, media, and others interested in safe schools.
