Teachers for social justice: exploring the lives and work of teachers committed to social justice in education

Drawing on life history interviews, this paper seeks to explore the lives of a group of eight teachers, all with working experience in England, who self-identify as committed to a more socially just education system. Drawing on Levitas’ Utopia as method, this article examines these teachers’ perspectives on and practices around social justice in education, such as aiming to eradicate exclusion policies and processes, and organising with like-minded colleagues. We also explore the significant professional and emotional labour that goes into such kinds of work towards a socially just education system, and the satisfaction that comes from ‘making a difference’. Their perspectives also provide insight into what a vision of socially just education might look like for those in the teaching profession.