Addressing Social Justice Issues in Schools Utilizing Trauma-Informed Care

Abstract

Trauma affects students in areas of social/behavioral skills and academic performance. This observation is supported with research. Researchers noted that traumatic exposure at home, school, or in the community has been associated with social anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and oppositional and aggressive behavior. Goodman et al. reported that trauma can have a negative impact on academic functioning, with higher symptoms of traumatic stress predicting poorer reading, math, and science achievement scores among elementary students. Trauma is indeed a social justice issue. Socioeconomic inequality, low educational level, and living in impoverished neighborhoods are major predisposing factors for exposure to a traumatic event. This chapter will provide recommendations on the utilization of trauma-informed care in addressing social justice issues in schools. Strategies to assist varied student groups will be noted in the chapter.