Spatial Injustice: School Closures as a Form of Educational Redlining

Spatial Injustice: School Closures as a Form of Educational Redlining

From The Integrated Schools Podcast by Andrew Lefkowits, Val Brown, Courtney Mykytyn

March 25, 2026 · 1h 1m · Season 12 · Episode 12

About this episode

The episode discusses school closures as a form of spatial injustice and their impact on communities, particularly marginalized ones.

What happens when we stop thinking about schools as buildings—and start seeing them as the ecosystems that hold our communities together? In this episode, we sit with Dr. Mara Tieken to explore school closures not as isolated decisions, but as part of a broader pattern of spatial injustice—where resources, opportunities, and care are unevenly distributed based on where we live. Together, we wrestle with a hard truth: school closures are often framed as inevitable… but what if they’re actually the result of choices—policies, priorities, and patterns of disinvestment—that we can question? We grapple with several key ideas: Schools are more than buildings—they are social, cultural, and economic anchors in our communities Closures disproportionately impact Black, Brown, and low-income communities The most common justifications (cost savings, academic improvement, “efficiency”) often don’t hold up under scrutiny What gets labeled as a “failing school” is often a school that has been failed—by policy, funding, and systemic neglect School closures don’t just disrupt students—they create lasting grief, loss, and disconnection across generations This conversation also reminds us that we…

People in this episode

Hosts: Andrew Lefkowits, Val Brown, Courtney Mykytyn

Guest: Dr. Mara Tieken

Topics covered

  • spatial injustice
  • school closures
  • educational redlining
  • community impact
  • policy change
  • disinvestment

Keywords

  • school closures
  • spatial injustice
  • educational equity
  • community resources
  • policy decisions
  • Black communities
  • Brown communities
  • low-income
  • systemic neglect

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Integrated Schools Podcast

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