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Description
It is challenging to respond to, and in particular critique, a stance that proclaims school counselors should become more proactive as advocates for students who have experienced oppression and are members of marginalized communities. This is especially true because the school counseling profession has long prided itself on the promise of advocating for all students regardless of background (Baker & Gerler, 2004; Schmidt, 2003). However, school counselors have not always translated this philosophy into daily practice. Too frequently, counselors have contributed to the legacies of marginalization and oppression, by conforming to school traditions and policies that either overtly or covertly discriminate, degrade, and dehumanize the educational process (Purkey & Novak, 1996).
I commend authors Hipolito-Delgado and Lee for their attempt at using empowerment theory as a springboard to determining "what really matters" in professional school counseling. As with any groundbreaking idea, their article may be fairly viewed as an initial step for examining empowerment theory as a basis for encouraging a significant role change for school counselors. The article has the potential to stimulate discussion among practicing counselors, counselor educators, and students in school counseling preparation programs. After reading their "manifesto," however, I am left with more questions than answers in order to respond cogently and appropriately.
First, I was struck by the dissonance between the content of the opening paragraphs and the title the authors chose. It appears that the notion... |
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