Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts & Social Justice (TLHS) is an innovative charter high school in Delray Beach, serving 225 students in grades 9-12. Admission is open to all age-appropriate students in Palm Beach County. Our students come from diverse socio-economic groups and represent the demographics of our community. We are a tuition-free, publicly funded institution.
Charter schools are public schools. However, they are exempt from some rules and regulations governing other public schools. But the State and the Local District holds charter schools accountable for academic achievements and financial management.
The term "social justice" refers to equality, democracy, economic opportunity, intellectual freedom, environmental protection and human rights. Social justice refers to a concept in which equity or justice is achieved in every aspect of society rather than in only some aspects or for some people. A world organized around social justice principles affords individuals and groups fair treatment as well as impartial share or distribution of the advantages within a society. Social justice includes a vision of a society in which the distribution of resources is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically save and secure. Social justice involves social actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of social responsibility toward and with others and the society as a whole.
Throughout the ages, the arts - visual, literary, dance, music, media, and theater - have played an important role in education. Numerous studies document the success of arts-based educational initiatives in addressing the educational, social, and other needs of students from all ages. For example, "A Stanford University study released two months ago found that young people who work in the arts are four times more likely to win academic award, eight times more likely to receive a community service award, three times more likely to win a school attendance award and four times more likely to participate in a math or science fair" (http://www.aforum.com/). The value of the arts for our school, which will target a diverse student population, is especially significant. The arts will serve as a vehicle for bringing people together, using multiple intelligences and accessing diverse learning styles.
