Justice for Youth who aren't successful in regular learning environments

What is it about justice that we almost never consider children or youth as having Justice Issues? What is it about me that seems to centre on them first, before looking far afield for other causes for which I can work?

I suppose it comes from making teaching and learning my mission for such a large part of my life. I know the education system from the inside. I know how it works. It works wonderfully for many children and youth. However, it does NOT work for everyone.

One group in particular that has my attention is the group of children and youth that struggle with print text. These kids are not ready to learn to read when they come to school. They are not ready to learn to write either. School systems spend many dollars and expend huge amounts of energy to try to get these individuals ready for reading and writing. They do this in the name of LITERACY.

What is unfortunate is that we, in Canada and North America, continue to think that one is not literate unless they can read and write. Of course, this means that if you are unable to read and write, you must be illiterate - or at least according to the prevalent thinking about literacy. Being labeled "illiterate" is a very serious thing! It completely messes with one's self-identity. Most believe that being "illiterate" means that you really can't learn. If one can't learn, then why spend any more money or energy trying to help? It must be a waste of both valuable resources.

Another unfortunate aspect of this topic is that schools all over North America are primarily organized around using print text as a learning medium. Granted, in Kindergarten and for parts of grade 1, print text is not the central medium for learning. However, once the reading task is successful for the majority of students (around the middle of grade 2 to the end of grade 3), print text become the predominant source of information. This is true in books, on the internet, and even in what are considered as alternate resources: newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, etc. Many teachers employ audio visual resources to enhance learning: films, multi-media presentations, theatre productions, etc. But most teachers see these as enhancements, not core resources.

There is a hegemony of print in school-based learning institutions. There is also very little desire to review this hegemony or to evaluate it. Millions of dollars are invested in textbooks, novels, encyclopedias, resource books, anthologies, and computer programs that are primarily print based. Teacher training, especially secondary teacher training, focuses on print as the learning resource. Little energy is directed towards learning that employs resources that do not involve print.

After the first few years of schooling, almost all strategies for evaluation, especially standardized assessment tools, involve print as the primary medium. Even assessment tools that are designed to diagnose learning problems rely heavily on print as the medium of communication.

So what happens to the students who do not read and write?

They FAIL!

Am I wrong?

What is the result of this failure?

Our jails are full of them. The homeless shelters are full of them. Unemployment programs are full of them. Those who live in poverty have more than a passing familiarity with this phenomenon.

So I suggest that we take a look at youth, our learning institutions, the hegemony of print text, the injustice of a continental societal structure that continues to turn its back on those who learn best through other media and focus some of our "justice energy" in that direction.

We might actually be able to do something about this issue!