Page 88 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 3-4: Convention on the Rights of the Child: Educational Opportunities and Social Justice, eds. Zdenko Kodelja and Urška Štremfel
P. 88
šolsko polje, letnik xxxi, številka 3–4
individual’s control and should therefore not (in a just education sys-
tem) have an influence over learning outcomes.
A just school system should hence expand the list of items in the fo-
cus of redistribution by adding talents and abilities. Further, more leni-
ence and greater understanding should be shown while rewarding/pun-
ishing motivation or effort because these are the key elements of learning
outcomes.
The notion of justice and child participation in elementary schools
The redistribution approach seems to be a limited basis for thoroughly as-
sessing whether (and to what level) the design of child participation with-
in schools may be considered to be just. There are at least two reasons for
this argument. First, the redistribution approach mainly considers the ed-
ucational attainment and learning outcomes of children and leaves little
room for exploring child participation. In contexts other than theoretical
debates on justice in education systems, the assessment and evaluations of
the fairness of education systems typically rely on indicators measuring
the learning gaps between various groups of children, differences in the
learning outcomes of children from different ethnic backgrounds, the in-
fluence of different regions and countries’ contexts, differences (and fac-
tors) defining the expectations and aspirations of children, the share of
early school leavers etc. (see e.g. PISA OECD, 2020). Unjust differences
in the participation and active inclusion of children in participatory pro-
cesses, which are very important for the education and school lives of chil-
dren, are therefore set aside. This is surprising as Rawls’ notion of a just so-
ciety mentions morality5 as essential for the individual’s autonomy6 − both
5 It is very common for morality to be part of discussions about a just society, but it is rare-
ly considered as an important concept when talking about the participation of children.
Mayall (2000) is one of the first authors to introduce a link between the participation
of children and their moral status. She argues that so long as society does not recognise
children as moral actors (meaning they are able to make a moral judgment based on their
awareness of a particular situation and encounter with themes like fairness and distribu-
tion), the possibilities for them to participate in decisions important for their lives will re-
main limited.
6 Personal autonomy is, according to Brighouse (2002), one of the most important princi-
ples (besides educational equality) promoted by egalitarian liberalism. Every child should
have an opportunity to become an autonomous person, a person capable of rational re-
flection of his/her beliefs and commitments, which is fundamental for achieving individ-
ual well-being. The educators’ role is important here: “Educators have a duty to facilitate
autonomy – to make sure that children have a real opportunity to become autonomous
– rather than to promote it” (Brighouse, 2002, p. 184). Brighouse further argues the impor-
tance of rational reflection on decisions on how to utilise the set of basic liberties society
guarantees: “It is their right, and their obligation, to use these liberties responsibly, both
for their own benefit and for the good of others. To do this they need to weigh reasons and
86
individual’s control and should therefore not (in a just education sys-
tem) have an influence over learning outcomes.
A just school system should hence expand the list of items in the fo-
cus of redistribution by adding talents and abilities. Further, more leni-
ence and greater understanding should be shown while rewarding/pun-
ishing motivation or effort because these are the key elements of learning
outcomes.
The notion of justice and child participation in elementary schools
The redistribution approach seems to be a limited basis for thoroughly as-
sessing whether (and to what level) the design of child participation with-
in schools may be considered to be just. There are at least two reasons for
this argument. First, the redistribution approach mainly considers the ed-
ucational attainment and learning outcomes of children and leaves little
room for exploring child participation. In contexts other than theoretical
debates on justice in education systems, the assessment and evaluations of
the fairness of education systems typically rely on indicators measuring
the learning gaps between various groups of children, differences in the
learning outcomes of children from different ethnic backgrounds, the in-
fluence of different regions and countries’ contexts, differences (and fac-
tors) defining the expectations and aspirations of children, the share of
early school leavers etc. (see e.g. PISA OECD, 2020). Unjust differences
in the participation and active inclusion of children in participatory pro-
cesses, which are very important for the education and school lives of chil-
dren, are therefore set aside. This is surprising as Rawls’ notion of a just so-
ciety mentions morality5 as essential for the individual’s autonomy6 − both
5 It is very common for morality to be part of discussions about a just society, but it is rare-
ly considered as an important concept when talking about the participation of children.
Mayall (2000) is one of the first authors to introduce a link between the participation
of children and their moral status. She argues that so long as society does not recognise
children as moral actors (meaning they are able to make a moral judgment based on their
awareness of a particular situation and encounter with themes like fairness and distribu-
tion), the possibilities for them to participate in decisions important for their lives will re-
main limited.
6 Personal autonomy is, according to Brighouse (2002), one of the most important princi-
ples (besides educational equality) promoted by egalitarian liberalism. Every child should
have an opportunity to become an autonomous person, a person capable of rational re-
flection of his/her beliefs and commitments, which is fundamental for achieving individ-
ual well-being. The educators’ role is important here: “Educators have a duty to facilitate
autonomy – to make sure that children have a real opportunity to become autonomous
– rather than to promote it” (Brighouse, 2002, p. 184). Brighouse further argues the impor-
tance of rational reflection on decisions on how to utilise the set of basic liberties society
guarantees: “It is their right, and their obligation, to use these liberties responsibly, both
for their own benefit and for the good of others. To do this they need to weigh reasons and
86
