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This I Believe
Virginia Philbrook
Seattle University

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I define social justice as an equitable system in which individuals have the tools
they need to meet their basic needs. In the professional practice, working toward social
justice requires me to help individuals and groups gain the tools needed to have their
basic needs met. I do not differentiate between my work as a counselor and my work
towards social justice. Instead, I believe that all people, regardless of their profession,
should work towards social justice. Youngs (2013) Social Connection Model is one that
I find relevant and helpful when exploring how and why one should fight against social
injustice. She argues that individuals are not uniquely responsible or guilty of causing
structural injustice but rather that individuals are responsible for working to break down
the unjust systems we participate in.
As a school counselor, working towards social justice means advocating for
equitable educational for all students. Rather than providing every student with the same
educational opportunities, a socially just educational system would offer each student the
specific tools they need to learn and thrive. Equitable practices could include promoting
a variety of post-secondary educational options for all students or implementing behavior
interventions to prevent, rather than earn, suspensions and expulsions. I will turn to the
American School Counselors Association (ASCA) National Model to guide my work and
my advocacy for social justice (ASCA, 2005).
Possible barriers I might encounter in a school system could come from district
officials, administrators, fellow staff members who prefer traditional educational models
and parents who would like unique and restricted educational opportunities for their
children. Structural barriers already in place include an unequal distribution of funding to
schools, biased standardized testing, biased disciplinary practices, understaffing of school
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counselors and unbalanced distribution of classroom sizes across and between school
districts. I will utilize my counseling skills, organizational abilities, network of
colleagues, knowledge of systems and connection to community organizations to
breakdown systemic and individualize roadblocks. I think that, on a personal level, I will
struggle with a lack of time to perform my job in such a way that I am actively examining
social justice needs and advocating at the micro, meso and macro level (Ratts, Toporek
and Lewis, 2010). I will work to focus on specific injustices faced by my students and
will seek out opportunities to collaborate with other professionals.

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References

American School Counselor Association. (2005). The ASCA national model: A
framework for school counseling programs (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: American
School Counselor Association.
Ratts, M. J., Toporek, R. L., & Lewis, J. A. (Eds.). (2010). ACA Advocacy Competencies:
A social justice framework for counselors. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling
Association.
Young, I.M. Responsibility for Justice. Oxford University Press: Oxford (2011).