Advocacy as a critical role for urban school counselors: working toward equity and social justice

Professional School Counseling, Feb, 2005 by Fred Bemak, Rita Chi-Ying Chung

CONCLUSION

We are in a critical time in our history with regards to the plight of impoverished and ethnic students. Data show a marked achievement gap, social inequities, and social, economic, and politically based problems that are associated with race, ethnicity, and poverty. School counselors are in a unique place and pivotal moment to make a difference. In this article we have highlighted the absolute need for school counselors to assume a dramatically different position in their work and to become social change agents and leaders by adopting an advocacy role and working toward social justice. In our opinion, as reflected in this article, the hard facts are a calling to our profession, leaving us little option but to proceed on this path.

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