Getting Started with Equity Work

Photo by Noorulabdeen Ahmad on Unsplash

​Equity. People may approach this term from different lenses: race, gender, class, ability, language. Educational equity encompasses all of these aspects. I think it’s important to be specific in our language when we discuss equity - what kind of equity are we talking about? It doesn’t have to be the same each time, but when we’re examining a particular equity issue, don’t be vague. Call it out!  

Looking at the data alone, it’s evident educational equity includes several intersecting elements of student identity such as: race, ability, language, class, and gender.  National graduation rates indicate we are under-serving and often actively marginalizing Black and Brown students, students with IEPs, students new to the English language, and low-income students (National Center for Educational Statistics). In the US, Black girls are disproportionately targeted for disciplinary action even for adherence to sexist and racist school dress codes ("Black girls in US pushed out of school over racist and sexist school dress codes, report finds"). The vast majority of transgender students (75.1%) feel unsafe at school because of their gender expression, and 63.4% of transgender students avoid bathrooms (Gender Spectrum).  

If you’re thinking, “This is great, but I just don’t have time for this!” First, I hear you—time is scarce! Second, I would argue at least recognizing the educational inequity that exists and starting to consider how your school may be unknowingly reproducing inequity is critical to our work of educating all children and helping them be responsible, equitable leaders in school and throughout their lives. 

So, where do we start? I’m going to share 2 things you can do that are foundational to equity work. I’ll share more later, but these 2 are BIG, so it’s more than enough work to get started! 

1. Recognize educational inequity exists. Whether this is a new idea or you’ve been fighting for educational equity for years, it’s good to be able to identify why this work is necessary. When we push for equity, we will often come up against push back. Sometimes, the people pushing back simply don’t see the problem. Gather your facts in advance and prepare to share that information with others in need. 
2. Do the self-work. I am in no way the authority on educational equity, but I actively seek out new knowledge about inequity in education and in other realms of society. I cannot fully understand the experiences of people of color or folks marginalized because of their social class or status as a trans* person. I can, however, read and listen to the wisdom of people who have had different experiences from my own and are willing to share. (I’ve started collecting some resources on Pinterest.) I can interrogate my own privilege and critically examine the systems of oppression that maintain patriarchal white supremacy in our educational and legal systems, even when—no—especially when it feels uncomfortable. 

Again, this is tough work. So, here’s a few quick tips from my own journey...

• Be open to growth. Equity work requires a different mindset than the one our society has conditioned us to hold regarding conversations about identity. Racial equity typically proves to be a difficult topic, particularly for white folks to talk about. Robin DiAngelo wrote a book all about it! This work of interrogating privilege and critically examining systems we have spent our lives accepting as “normal,” is hard work. There’s no way around the discomfort. You have to go through it. Jay Smooth’s analogy, however, helped me make the mindset shift that helped me bit a little more comfortable in conversations about race. In his TED Talk, he proposes a powerful metaphor to help shift our mindsets from defending our character (i.e., “I’m not racist!”) to an appreciation of feedback for growth. He suggests instead of looking at anti-racism work as a tonsil removal (i.e., one procedure and you’re not racist), think of it like going to the dentist (i.e., ongoing check-ins are considered normal, healthy, and helpful). Being brought up in a culture steeped in oppressive systems, it is no wonder we misstep, but the important piece of these mistakes, isn’t the mistake itself, it’s our willingness to listen to feedback and choose to be better.
• Check your privilege, literally. Looking for a place to jump right into this work that’s high-impact? These privilege checklists were eye-opening for me. Check them out!
  • "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" - Peggy McIntosh
  • “Straight Privilege” - Erin Tatum, Everyday Feminism
  • “11 Cisgender Privileges You Didn’t Know You Had” - PRIDE
  • “Able-Bodied Privilege Checklist” - ASU Project Humanities

 
This work, although difficult, is one of the most powerful investments you can make in your practice as an educator. Recognize the extent and forms of educational inequity, and talk to others about it. Commit to doing the self-work. Later this week, I’ll share some concrete ideas for improving equitable practice in your schools. We can re-make the systems that were designed to reproduce inequity! 

Have educational equity related questions? 
​

Share them on our Time for Teachership facebook group!

In the meantime, continue to think big, act brave, and be your best self.