A textbook activity on symbols was intended as thought provoking but instead elicited a confrontational reaction by one student which left Dr. Jackson and the university searching for a response. When the topic spread through the channels within the university, matters got worse. This disguised case examines the lesson, conflict, and aftermath following a sensitive classroom activity intended to promote transformational learning around the concept of the strength of organizational symbols. Authors suggest organizational theory, power and politics, transformational learning, and cultural competence as possible lenses in which educational leaders can examine this case.
Our world is in constant flux and educators are at the ship’s helm steering toward what former U.S. Representative John Lewis called “good trouble.” However, in many cases, educators lack the training required to be most effective in doing so. As instructors face student demands to address topics on race and social justice, many educators are unsure about how to respond appropriately to the chants of “No Justice, No Peace!” Thus, this essay explores humanistic and pragmatic approaches for doing so in terms of fostering cultural communication competence when incorporating topics on race and social justice issues in the classroom.
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