Producing and Practicing Social Justice in Education - Assignment Example

Changing policies of Labor governments have weakened the conception of social justice (Yeatman, 1990) while the creation of a postmodern state (Lingard, 1996) has also distorted social justice. The engineering of new social and economic structures has created a new environment where social justice has taken backstage in the Australian education ecosystem. There is no doubt the successive labor government rearticulated the concept of social justice under the influence of market liberalism and new managerialism (Sawer, 1989). Just like putting mice in charge of a cheese shop, the liberalism of the education sector has given more credence to public education than private education. While considering the purpose of schooling, the new focus on liberalism changed the basic tenets of social justice.

Invariably, the Australian School leadership became engrossed in meeting the need for bureaucratic politics that sutures various competing issues and interests. Cornell (1995) puts the erosion of social into perspective where he argues that a corrupt education is one where education favors a child over another because of social and economic advantage. Currently, Australian education is facing this path with respect to social justice. Presently, there seems to be an emptying of leadership in Australian schools.

This is because there has been a concerted effort to promote leadership that enhances the legislative and political framework that eulogizes the benefits of public education (Lingard, & Garrick, 1997). The use of central policies and the increasing focus on the privatization of schools in Australia has given little place for leaders to articulate their vision and pursue social justice in school. 

Susan, I concur with you that the government’s focus on culture and economics has dampened progress on the realization of social justice in Australian school leadership. There is no doubt that social justice is fundamental in creating an enabling school environment schools can provide equal opportunities for children from any background.