By Emily Chiariello
21st Century
Junior Library
Seeking
Justice
Anti-Bias Learning: Social Justice in Action
Published in the United States of America by Cherry Lake Publishing Group
Ann Arbor, Michigan
www.cherrylakepublishing.com
Developed with help from Learning for Justice, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. With special
thanks to Monita Bell and Hoyt Phillips.
Reading Adviser: Beth Walker Gambro, MS, Ed., Reading Consultant, Yorkville, IL
Photo Credits: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com, cover, 1, 18; AnnGaysorn/Shutterstock.com, 4;
Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com, 6; altanaka/Shutterstock.com, 8; Paul Velgos/Shutterstock.com, 10;
Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com, 12; Doug Lemke/Shutterstock.com, 14; jumis/Shutterstock.
com, 16; Rena Schild/Shutterstock.com, 20
Copyright 2022 by Cherry Lake Publishing Group
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without
written permission from the publisher.
Cherry Lake Press is an imprint of Cherry Lake Publishing Group.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been led and is available at catalog.loc.gov
Cherry Lake Publishing Group would like to acknowledge the work of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning,
a Network of Battelle for Kids. Please visit http://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21 for more information.
Printed in the United States of America
Corporate Graphics
ISBN 9781534189904 (pdf)
ISBN 9781534195806 (ebook)
CONTENTS
5 Stereotypes
11 What Is Unfairness?
15 Unfairness Hurts
17 Advantages and
Disadvantages
21 Justice Seekers
22 Glossary
Find Out More
Index
About the Author
Fairness isnt that we all get the same things,
but that we all get the things we need.
I know people in groups are not all the same.
Thats not fair! Have you ever said those words?
Maybe you meant that not everyone got the same
thing. But fairness doesnt always mean that things
are the same. Different people need different things.
You wouldnt expect your little sister and your big
brother to wear each others shoes, would you? That
wouldnt be fair. They would hardly be able to walk!
Stereotypes
Stereotypes are usually based on how a person looks.
What might you not know about a person based on their looks?
Fairness means we dont give an advantage
to some people over others. Another word to describe
fairness is justice . Justice begins with treating people
as unique individuals. Its unfair to think that all of
the people in a group are the same as each other.
A stereotype is when we assume something
about someone based on just one part of who they are.
When we believe stereotypes about others, we are being
prejudiced . We are judging someone before we know
the truth about them. Stereotypes can cause feelings
of prejudice either for that person or against them.
Saying what someone should or should not do
because of their gender is wrong.
Create!
Create a classroom constitution with your teacher and classmates.
What kinds of rules and agreements will you include to make sure
the class is fair for everyone?
Maybe youve noticed some adults using gender
stereotypes ideas about what boys and girls should
be like. But there are many ways to be a boy or a girl,
both, or neither.
Even though many football players are men, a girl
like Kendra can still love to play the game! And Kevin
can grow up to be a beautiful ballet dancer, even though
he is a boy and lots of ballet dancers are women or girls.
Taking more than your share of something is unfair.
I can describe what unfairness is.
When we seek justice, it means we are trying to
make things fair. This means pointing out when things
are unfair. Unfairness, or injustice , can happen in
lots of ways.
One person can treat another person unfairly.
Maybe you know someone who doesnt share nicely.
Or you might know someone who cuts in line so they
can get lunch first.
What Is
Unfairness?
Black schools, like this high school, didnt have money
for enough teachers or school supplies.
Think!
Have you ever seen someone being bullied? Did you do anything?
Did you say something? Think of what you might say or do to
speak up the next time you see someone being treated unfairly.
Whole groups of people can also be treated unfairly.
For many years in the United States, Black children
and White children were forced to attend different
schools. Black children experienced a lot of injustice
just because of the color of their skin. Their schools
did not get as much money as the schools for White
children. But the schools for White children had more
money to pay teachers and buy newer books and
equipment. People fought for justice and made the
government change the law to make things fairer.
European settlers unfairly claimed the land of North America
and tried to replace the people with a new society.
I know unfairness causes harm.
Being treated unfairly hurts. Injustice causes harm.
Sometimes, the harm is small, but sometimes, its big.
