Exploring Dutch student teachers’ reasoning about structural inequality in education: a social justice perspective.

This qualitative study examines the lines of reasoning employed by Dutch student teachers in relation to educational inequalities, with the aim of identifying opportunities for a social justice perspective to enrich their understanding. From our analysis of focus groups and interviews with 26 student teachers, three patterns emerged: a tendency to individualise inequality, rejection of negative labels and hierarchies, and difficulty identifying systemic solutions. The lines of reasoning within these patterns indicate that many student teachers struggle to recognise the structural aspects of inequality. Even those aware of structural inequality often perceive their role in fighting the system as limited. This study emphasises that caveats in student teachers’ lines of reasoning reflect broader educational and societal discourses and challenges, highlighting the need for a social justice perspective to empower teachers to challenge existing structures and contribute to meaningful social change.