Vol. 15 No. 1 (2022)

A FOND FAREWELL

In this, our final issue as co-editors, we present two complementary articles that speak to the power of counter-stories in confronting racism and systems of oppression. The first of these, “‘The Teacher Said Nothing’: Black Girls on the Anti-Black Racism in Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Schools” by Kisha McPherson, explores how students experience and speak back to the racism they encounter in the schools of Greater Toronto. Framed in terms of “intersectionality,” McPherson’s analysis of the narratives of fourteen young Black women raises important questions about the impact of anti-racism initiatives that fail to hold school administrators and teachers accountable.

The second article “Self-Encounters and Subjective Reconstruction: Using Counter-Stories Toward Creative Pedagogy” by Alexandra Olsvik, offers a comprehensive review of Teresa Strong-Wilson’s recent book Teachers’ Ethical Self-Encounters with Counter-stories in the Classroom: From Implicated to Concerned Subjects. Olsvik notes that Strong-Wilson’s book invites us “to consider how using counter-stories within pedagogy and research might enhance ethical consciousness and contribute to subjective reconstruction” (p. 1)—the very invitation McPherson takes up in her research.

We would also like to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported the journal during our stewardship. The curriculum field continues to advance in ways that are sometimes contentious, frequently surprising, and always provocative. We appreciate the many contributors we have had the pleasure to work with and the conversations that have arisen along the way. The many thoughtful submissions we have received suggest to us that JAAACS continues to be a valuable outlet for scholarly productivity; we find it encouraging that these submissions have come from emerging and established scholars alike.

We are also grateful to our many colleagues who gave generously of their time to review and comment on manuscripts. No peer-review journal can function without such dedication. We are also grateful to those of our colleagues who have from time to time served as section editors and guest editors of special issues. Finally, special thanks goes out to Joseph Kyser. Even as he was busy completing his dissertation on the work of Dwayne Huebner, Joseph always found time to help us navigate the deeper recesses of the journal’s online management system, always with patience and good cheer.

Best wishes to all—

Susan Jean Mayer

Patrick Roberts