Teaching Biology AND Social Justice?

 

Biology is a content area that may not generally come to mind when one thinks of teaching for social justice, however I see many options to teach content in Biology as an indirect social justice issue.  During the study of human genetics, gender issues can be addressed by talking about how there are more options than just male XY and female XX chromosomes.  Students’ eyes can be opened by discussing various genetic disorders and the learning disabilities or physical disabilities that these genetic defects can cause.  Through learning about genetics students can learn that it is not a choice to appear or behave a certain way but that traits are often in a person’s genes. 

Genetically modified food and cell research poses a controversy and bringing these new discoveries and research into the classroom can be teaching to social justice.  Since it may not be addressed in all areas, just having the facts and both sides of an argument on an issue that could impact every adolescent in the classroom is teaching with critical literacy and social justice issues in mind. (CC)