Introduction
Chapter 1 — Social Action: An Overview
A & B —Social Action’s Role & US College Social Action
C & D — Benefits & Bring Into Class
Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class
A & B — Course vs Co-Curricular & Prerequisites
C — Creating a Social Action Syllabus
D & E — Teaching Style & Norms
H & I — Role of Place & Each Semester v Every Year
Chapter 3 — Launching Student Campaigns
B — Students Choose Their Issue
Chapter 4 — Planning, Implementation, & Evaluation
A — Campaign Plan & Timeline B & C — Implementation & Execution D — Campaign Evaluation E — Finals: Binder & Presentation
Chapter 5 — Where Do We Go From Here?
A & B — Next Semester & Mainstreaming TSA C & D — Internships & Pipeline to Jobs E — Status of Current Campaigns
CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action
- Chapter 5E, Status of Current Campaigns (p. 141-142)
- See other Student Campaigns here.
Status of Current Campaigns (SJSU)
When Scott wrote this book in 2022, he was still teaching at San Jose State. However, at the end of Spring 2023, Scott retired from this faculty position in order to direct Teaching Social Action. Here is what Scott wrote at the end of 2023:
I retired from SJSU in the Spring of 2023, and from what I know, most of the student campaigns discussed in the book have ceased. Interestingly, the new SJSU President, who came in a few months before I retired, did work to enact some of the demands that were won by the Student Homeless Alliance. For example, the Administration is making it easier to get the emergency beds. Previously, the University had put up many roadblocks to obtain them (e.g., asking students to maximize their student loans, having them be full-time students, etc). Now, these restrictions have seemed to end, and more students who are houseless are using the emergency beds. Both the former President of SHA and myself (the faculty advisor) have met with the new President to encourage her to implement the demands.
This is a key point: just because you win a demand doesn't mean it will get implemented. SHA had to work another three-years to enforce the agreement that the University signed with them.
Below is an image of the Student Homeless Alliance:
In early December of 2023, one of the demands from Students Against Mass Incarceration was passed by the County Board of Supervisors. If you look closely at the sign on the podium, you will see the demand that was won: a phone number to mental health services that goes straight to mental health providers rather than the police first, and then to be transferred.
Status of Current Campaigns (USA and World)
In the spring of 2024, there were over 40 student campaigns occurring, and for the fall of 2024, TSA expects there to be over 100 student campaigns. To see updates on these current campaigns, click here and then click on the various student campaigns list for each semester from Spring 2024 up to Spring 2026. If you look to the bottom right, you will see “Victories”. Click on that to see the student campaigns that have won their demands.
Question
- What is your reaction to the student victories and campaigns of the social action students.
CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action
- Chapter 5F — Impact of Social Action on Former Social Action Students (p. 142-152)
Impact of Social Action on Social Action Students
In this chapter of CHANGE, Scott discusses 10 former social action students, and the impact on their lives and careers. Below is a video from one of those students: Elisha St. Laurent. Elisha was a student leader of the minimum wage campaign, and who now works for the city of San Jose in the Housing Department. In the below video, Elisha credits social action for putting her on a path of civic engagement and professional work to uplift our community.
Also, here is Elisha speaking at a Smith-Carlos Legacy Event about how social action changed her perspective of herself in a democracy:
There is a group of TSA faculty who are interested in doing research on the impact of social action on the lives and careers of the students, but nothing yet has been done. If you are interested in doing this research, please contact Scott at scott@teachingsocialaction.org.
Question
- How might you stay in touch with your former social action students so as to share their successes and challenges as they take these democratic skills into their careers and lives?