Educating for Equality: A History of Two Progressive Schools Committed to Social Justice

Chronicles the history of two schools seeking to change the world through democratic education.

Educating for Equality chronicles the histories of two New York City schools that made social justice their highest priority: New York City's Ethical Culture School (ECS) and Downtown Community School (DCS). The book examines issues of class, race, education, democracy, and progressivism through their engaging stories over almost a century. Believing that education can change the world, the schools pioneered innovations like integrated enrollment, manual training, direct ethical instruction, Black studies, an interdisciplinary curriculum, and adult intercultural education to accomplish their broader societal goals. Educating for Equality allows students of education—including the history, philosophy, and social foundations of education—to explore complex topics through the real-world experiences of these two schools. The book examines educational issues that remain pressing today, issues like integration, equity, inequality, heterogeneous classrooms, and educational innovation. It provides historians, policymakers, practitioners, and all readers with an opportunity to consider new perspectives on the purposes and practices of schooling.