How School-Based “Pockets of Humanity” Can Promote Student Well-Being - Youth Perspectives on Justice and Well-Being in School

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Pentious

A study of youth activists examines how school conditions shape students’ well-being within contemporary political constraints. Using qualitative interviews with twelve high school activists from a digital advocacy organization, the research links youths’ perceived justice or injustice to their well-being in educational settings. Participants reported diminished well-being when schools reflect broader injustices, while school-based “pockets of humanity” that counter these injustices foster well-being. Findings inform research, practice, and policy for creating more supportive school environments.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Background and Context

Youth mental health in schools during and after COVID-19

Policies restricting discussion of marginalized identities

Research Focus

Youth activists’ perspectives on justice and well-being

Method and Data

Qualitative interviews with twelve student activists

Key Findings and Implications

How injustice and “pockets of humanity” affect well-being

AERA Open January-December 2025, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 1–18 DOI: 10. 1177/23328584251337690 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)© The Author(s) 2025. [https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero](https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero) How School-Based “Pockets of Humanity” Can Promote Student WellBeing: Youth Perspectives on Justice and Well-Being in School Kate Somerville University of Virginia This study examines how youth activists perceive the impact of school conditions on their well-being in current political contexts. Focusing on qualitative interviews with twelve high school student activists from the organizing base of a digital youth advocacy organization, I explore the relationship between youth’s experiences of justice or injustice and perceptions of their own well-being in educational settings. Participants experienced diminished well-being when schools mirrored broader injustices, but they experienced increased well-being in school-based “pockets of humanity” that countered injustices. This analysis highlights how external community conditions influence student well-being and how schools can exacerbate or mitigate the well-being effects of broader injustices. Implications include a discussion of research, practice, and policy avenues for creating school-based pockets of humanity in today’s political context. Keywords: Adolescence, educational policy, in-depth interviewing, politics, qualitative research, social justice, stress/coping Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a growing focus on the promotion of youth mental health in public schools (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022) . The prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% globally in the first year of the pandemic, with young people and women being the most affected (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022) . In the United States, researchers have observed an increase—which continues to increase post-pandemic—in depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among youth, particularly among racially minoritized female identifying students (Prichett et al., 2024) . In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on the growing youth mental health crisis, calling on educators, policymakers and others to take action to prioritize the mental well-being of young people (US Surgeon General, 2021) . Concurrently, states across the country implemented policies that forbid conversations about marginalized identities and histories in schools. Anti-critical race theory (CRT) policies, which were implemented in 18 states before related federal executive orders, restrict teachers from talking about a list of “divisive concepts,” which often include racism (Schwartz, 2023) . Similarly, at least 19 states have “Don’t Say Gay” policies that restrict how students and teachers can talk about LGBTQIA+ issues (Movement Advancement Project, 2025) . On a federal level, President Donald Trump signed an executive order entitled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K–12 Schooling,” aiming to ensure that recipients of federal funding do not use “discriminatory equity ideology,” which includes the discussion of minoritized identities in school (Exec. Order No. 14190, 2025) . Scholars have pointed to these policies as tools of white supremacy, upholding the existence of schools as unjust environments for students of color and students with marginalized identities (Welton et al., 2023) . Some accounts point to a chilling effect wherein teachers are shying away from discussing issues related to race, gender, and sexuality because they are unsure about what is allowed (Zinn Education Project, 2023). Many teachers have shown concern about the impact of the policies on students’ learning and identity development (Woo et al., 2023) . Exploring how youth’s experiences of injustice are related to their well-being in school can help researchers,

FAQs

What relationship does the study examine between youth experiences and well-being in school?

The study explores how youths’ experiences of justice or injustice in school relate to their perceptions of personal well-being in educational settings.

How do participants describe the effect of schools mirroring broader injustices?

Participants reported diminished well-being when schools reflected broader injustices.

What do “pockets of humanity” mean in the context of the findings?

“Pockets of humanity” are school-based conditions that counter injustices, and participants associated them with increased well-being in school.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Pentious