Ignacio Calderón Almendros

Radicalizing the Discourse Against the Miseries of the School System

Jesús Soldevila-Pérez, Ignacio Calderón-Almendros & Gerardo Echeita

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to promote open reflection and discussion on inclusive education as a matter, among other considerations, of and for social justice. To support this task, we draw on the mass of theoretical, experiential and practical knowledge that has accumulated on this topic, at an almost exponential rate, since the 1990s, and that has enabled for significant progress. But certain questions have also been raised that need to be considered if we are to avoid repeating errors of the past and to rethink future steps as well as we can. In this context, this chapter does not intend to assemble the available knowledge, which is extremely difficult given that the development of a more inclusive education involves all the elements of an education system. Rather, its aim is to generate a debate around some aspects that are emerging as significant, particularly those related to the opportunity, or not, to converge with perspectives and proposals such as those of education for social justice, equality and global citizenship. Its purpose is to highlight the way in which systems of oppression intersect and constitute each other, as well as ways to confront them through education in order to build fairer societies. Perspectives and paths that undoubtedly share common denominators that should enable important synergies for the much-needed and urgent transformation of education, but also differential aspects that, from their unique nature should nonetheless contribute to the recognition of the equal dignity and rights of all learners, without exclusions, to an education of quality.

SOLDEVILA-PÉREZ, J.; CALDERÓN-ALMENDROS, I. & ECHEITA, G. (2022). My (school) life is expendable: radicalizing the discourse against the miseries of the school system. In J. Collet, M. Naranjo & J. Soldevila (Ed), Global struggles for inclusive education: lessons from Spain (pp.17-32). Springer, Switzerland.

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About the book "Global Inclusive Education: Lessons from Spain"

Edited by Jordi Collet, Mila Naranjo, Jesús Soldevila-Pérez
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11476-2

This book addresses issues related to school inclusion from the perspective of systemic inclusion. It focuses on the need to face the challenges of inclusion in education from a broad perspective, including the classroom, the school as an institution, families, and the community. It also pays attention to the full interactions between them. The book demonstrates how inclusion can be carried out in very real, concrete and everyday ways. It also shows how researchers can work hand in hand with the professionals and other stakeholders who are developing their practices day by day.
The book draws on a range of research projects of the Spanish and international research groups to provide both rich theoretical frameworks and rigorous research outcomes related to the four dimensions of the systemic inclusion perspective and its necessary networking: classroom, school, families and the community. Most of the chapters take Spain as the case study but, far from being a local book, it uses Spanish analysis to dialogue universally with current main debates and challenges in inclusion, almost 30 years after the Salamanca Statement.