Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

Publication Title

Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy

Keywords

critical education, copaganda, reparations, abolition

Abstract

Building on prior research about copaganda and pro-police socialization, we argue that the Reparations Won curriculum in Chicago Public Schools is an antidote to police legitimization efforts in K-12 schools. Specifically, the curriculum affirms student experiences that are not accounted for nor deemed possible in a world built by and for policing; it emphasizes relationship-building and centers definitions of community that resist the alienation required for such a world; and it facilitates an understanding of local histories as inseparable from broader social structures. We conclude that in an era of contested curricula, Reparations Won provides the structure needed to grapple with taken-for-granted assumptions about the benevolence and necessity of policing, and from there, to dream up and build alternative futures.

Funding Source

This research was funded in part by Illinois State University. This article was published open access thanks to a transformative agreement between Milner Library and Taylor & Francis.

DOI

10.1080/15505170.2026.2685010

Comments

First published in Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy (2026): https://doi.org/10.1080/15505170.2026.2685010 

Download

Included in

Criminology Commons

Share

COinS