Facing Fear and Bearing Witness

Abstract

Alternative education environments are places where students can either be bundled into a corner and pushed out of sight or creative, innovative spaces where students can recapture their sense of self as a successful student. Drawing on her experiences at a nonpublic school over the past 15 years, the author describes a unique setting and its impact on the students served as well as her development as an educator and school leader. The article explores the value of alternative education as well as the current limitations that need to be addressed to truly prepare already marginalized students for a world fraught with injustice. In the process of reflecting on the approach taken in the school setting where she has spent the majority of her career, the author comes to some key realizations about herself, her identity, and her resilience as a leader.