Through the lenses of literature, theory, and narrative, this course analyzes public education in the United States along with the issues of a global society, as a way of informing and empowering teachers toward a stance of production and as agents of change. Components of that context include multiple perspectives of theoretical, cultural, political and economic forces. Using a multicultural critique as a foundation, the course investigates the effects of social change on school changes due to social stratification, especially poverty, as well as racial and ethnic demographics. In addition, the course investigates the disparities of wealth and basic human needs existing in the world today. Pre-service and practicing teachers should understand, in the age of a global economy, the needs and demands of not only their local students, but students around the world, and how each affects the other.