Section 3

The tools and resources in this section are meant to support our ability as educators to redress biases, inequities, and oppressive ideologies in the long term by addressing their root causes.

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“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”

James Baldwin - American Writer

Connected Knowledge and Skills

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proactively advocate against inequitable practices and policies and advocate for equitable practices and policies, rather than responding only when individual instances of bias or inequity arise;
recognize and address the root causes of educational outcomes and experiences disparities rather than addressing only the symptoms of these disparities; and
understand how biases and inequities operating in classrooms, schools, and other organizations are connected to larger societal conditions.

Connected Terms

“ Definitions anchor us in principles. This is not a light point: If we don’t do the basic work of defining the kind of people we want to be in language that is stable and consistent, we can’t work toward stable, consistent goals.”- How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi (One World, 2019). Chapter 1, “Definitions.”

Advocate [ad-və-kət] (noun) one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group
Redress [ri-ˈdres] (verb) remedy or set right
Ideology [ī-dē-ˈä-lə-jē] (noun) a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture
Inequitable [i-ˈne-kwə-tə-bəl] (adjective) unfair
Intersectionality [in-ter-sek-shuh-nal-i-tee] (noun) the idea that we all have multiple identity characteristics that make us who we are, and the intersection of these identities come together to create unique forms of privilege and oppression. (Adapted from Teaching Tolerance video “Intersectionality 101”
Disparity [di-ˈsper-ə-tē] (noun) a noticeable and usually significant difference or dissimilarity
Oppression [ə-ˈpre-shən] (noun) unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power
Systemic [si-ˈste-mik] (adjective) fundamental to a predominant social, economic, or political practice

Source: Learning for Justice

Initial Readings

As you read these articles and review website, look for ideas that will help you determine the root causes of bias, inequity, or oppression within your current systems where you interact:

Article: Making Systems of Privilege Visible by Wildman, S. and Davis. (1995)

Article: Resistance to Systemic Oppression by Students of Color in a Diversity Course for Preservice Teachers by House-Niamke, S. & Sato, T.(2019)
Article: Article: Don't Talk About Implicit Bias Without Talking About Structural Racism- National Equity Project (Osta & Vasquez, 2019)

Activities

Complete one activity in each of the sections below, as you consider connections to your personal and professional life.

Equity Data Walk: Read about the Equity Data Walk Activity launched by EdTrust West, the West Coast arm of the larger EdTrust organization. Watch the video overview, and review the resources. What would it look like to do this with your school? Compare this approach to current methods for data-driven instruction. What would it look like to reframe the way we approach looking at data?
Identifying an Equity Challenge Tool: Review this tool and consider how your team might leverage this resource to identify and prioritize equity challenges your school is facing.
Explore a Social Model of Disability: and consider this "How does thinking about disability from a social model rather than a medical model shift how you design learning activities and assessments?" Review the Universal Design for Learning Guidelines and consider how the principles of Universal Design for Learning support this model?
US Department of Education School Climate and Discipline: Know the Data - Various data sources show clearly that students with disabilities and students of color are disproportionately impacted by school discipline practices. According to the Civil Rights Data Collection (2011-2012), black students are suspended and expelled at a rate three times greater than white students, while students with disabilities are twice as likely to receive an out-of-school suspension as their non-disabled peers. Review the maps to see how your district or state is represented.

Videos

Children and students of color are disproportionately impacted by school discipline practices. Watch “Red Folder” and prepare to discuss the root cause of this kind of inequitable practice and the consequences of such practices in our schools and for our communities.
Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities and/or people who are perceived to be disabled. It is often overlooked, but it is pervasive. Watch this Ted Talk on Confronting Ableism. Consider the root causes of the kind of inequitable practice and the consequences of such practices in schools and in our communities.
Watch this Ted Talk and take notes on what Monique Morris addresses concerning the systemic oppression that black girls currently face within their school experience. What suggestions does she give to help redress the systemic oppression happening in school regarding black girls? Why black girls are targeted for punishment at school -- and how to change that

Why black girls are targeted for punishment at school -- and how to change that

Reflection and Discussion Questions

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What inequitable practices have you observed in your time as an educator within the school system? How have you responded to such inequitable practices in the past?
Reflect on the definition of "redress". What have you learned in these readings and videos that will help you to become more capable of redressing systemic inequity and bias in your school or classroom community?
This section of the toolkit focused on two relevant examples of educational inequity in schools: racism and ableism. What are other examples of educational equity that you have experienced or that you have observed? What tools or resources might you leverage to address the "root cause" of the issue?
Are there additional examples of “Knowledge, Skills, and Actions” that you would add to support or supplement Gorski’s initial list for this section?

Additional Resources

Teaching for Change- Teaching for Change provides teachers and parents with the tools to create schools where students learn to read, write, and change the world.
Learning for Justice- An organization working to be a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people. Free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors, and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school.
EdChange- A team of educators working in collaboration to develop resources, workshops, and projects that contribute to progressive change in ourselves, our schools, and our society.
National Equity Project- The National Equity Project is a leadership and systems change organization committed to increasing the capacity of people to achieve thriving, self-determining, educated, and just communities.
Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism–from Ferguson to Charleston - This resource site was published in 2015 and has a variety of resources.

References

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House-Niamke, S. & Sato, T. (2019) Resistance to Systemic Oppression by Students of Color in a Diversity Course for Preservice Teachers, Educational Studies, 55:2, 160-179, DOI: 10.1080/00131946.2018.1501567

Kallam, B. (2016) Red Folder. Vimeo [Video] https://vimeo.com/139254033

Mirriam-Webster, (n.d.). Merrieam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved July 26, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/.
Morris, M. W. (2018, November) Why black girls are targeted for punishment for school--and how to change that. Ted Conferences [Video] https://www.ted.com/talks/monique_w_morris_why_black_girls_are_targeted_for_punishment_at_school_and_how_to_change_that/footnotes?referrer=playlist-itunes_podcasts_education&language=en
Osta, K., & Vasquez, H. V. (2019, June 13). Don't talk about implicit bias without talking about structural racism. Medium. https://medium.com/national-equity-project/implicit-bias-structural-racism-6c52cf0f4a92.
Walker, M. (2019). Implicit Bias: Root Cause of Discrimination Against Women in Construction. Academic Conferences International Limited.

Wildman, S. M., & Davis, A. D. (1995) Language and silence: Making systems of privilege visible. Santa Clara Law Review, 35(3), 881.

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