Abstract
Alternative education (AE) exists to support students who are considered marginalized and who are also considered at-risk of failure due to sundry challenges to their educational process. AE English teachers act as guides, mentors, and leaders for students entering AE programs and schools and youth who are attempting to complete their education. For this research, English teachers in AE engage in their craft and with students to develop an understanding of being socially responsible while learning skills needed for life after school completion. Furthermore, this research provides a platform for AE English teachers in the role of social justice leaders as they engage in their work with students in learning what social justice means in their unique context. This study explores how AE English teachers engage students through alternative education's purpose of engaging disengaged students and preparing them to become socially responsible in life.