Although we may find some exceptions in practice, basically the way we have organized schooling, the way we teach, the questions we ask, and our firm belief in the value of the individual are all rooted in a democratic tradition founded on social justice.
Education is our prime vehicle for creating the 'just' society.
It seems to me that in all of our efforts in education that we are preparing citizens to lead productive lives in a democratic society characterized by social justice. Thomas J. Switzer is Dean of the College of Education at the University Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. From 1971 to 1987, he served on the faculty and as associate dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Prior to his university teaching experience, he was a design team member of Sociological Resources for Social Studies curricular project and a social studies teacher in Waterloo, Iowa. While at Michigan, he was involved in the education of social studies teachers and doctoral students in curriculum and instruction and conducted research on change and the change process.