The true meaning of "equity"

[Anonymous]

I’ve had so many trainings, read so many articles… I’m told that teachers are to blame for poor performing students because of racism, because of not caring enough, not differentiating enough.

But there are still and always will be huge differences in natural ability. We can’t and shouldn’t aim for a world where everyone has the same advantages, when some of those advantages are innate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:May need to watch this before discussing equity.

My dd had a similar activity and was told she was privileged for having two married parents and there always being food on the table. That’s not privileged! There should be basic things that parents provide for their kids.

I think schools should meet kids where they are. I hope that the very smartest are being provided with the classes and support they need too. We need the next generation of entrepreneurs, doctors, scientists and top engineers. Instead we have a dumbed down curriculum where no one is learning well.

[Anonymous]

Our then-principal posted the exact picture OP posted at back to school night when my oldest was in kindergarten. This stuff has been around for years now in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are arguing based on speculation. There is no evidence at this point that FCPS will admit any fewer high-SES kids under the new system. Those not in the pool will self-refer anyway.

I agree that it's totally speculation to think this changes the kids actually found eligible for AAP. We'll figure that out in March, possibly.

I think it does effect kids who would normally be in-pool but whose parents are not engaged at schools with higher cut-offs. Whether it ultimately has an impact on their education is a bigger question no one can answer yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May need to watch this before discussing equity.

My dd had a similar activity and was told she was privileged for having two married parents and there always being food on the table. That’s not privileged! There should be basic things that parents provide for their kids.

I think schools should meet kids where they are. I hope that the very smartest are being provided with the classes and support they need too. We need the next generation of entrepreneurs, doctors, scientists and top engineers. Instead we have a dumbed down curriculum where no one is learning well.

You don’t like the label or you don’t like the concept?

Our schools aren’t “dumbed down”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pp please go private if you like, but lobby for a voucher system so the money follows the student. Then the people that stay in the public school can play their equity games from morning till night.

Equity is always more fair when it’s not done on your dime. It feels even good to be magnanimous with the less fortunate as long as it doesn’t hurt your pocket.

For the equity crowd, what have you personally done with your own resources to advance equity? Chances are the answer is nothing.

No way. We aren’t going to cripple our schools as DeVos did in Michigan.

I’m not subsiding your private school tuition just because you don’t want a public school education for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pp please go private if you like, but lobby for a voucher system so the money follows the student. Then the people that stay in the public school can play their equity games from morning till night.

Equity is always more fair when it’s not done on your dime. It feels even good to be magnanimous with the less fortunate as long as it doesn’t hurt your pocket.

For the equity crowd, what have you personally done with your own resources to advance equity? Chances are the answer is nothing.

No way. We aren’t going to cripple our schools as DeVos did in Michigan.

I’m not subsiding your private school tuition just because you don’t want a public school education for your kids.

Too bad the governor elect disagrees with you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May need to watch this before discussing equity.

My dd had a similar activity and was told she was privileged for having two married parents and there always being food on the table. That’s not privileged! There should be basic things that parents provide for their kids.

I think schools should meet kids where they are. I hope that the very smartest are being provided with the classes and support they need too. We need the next generation of entrepreneurs, doctors, scientists and top engineers. Instead we have a dumbed down curriculum where no one is learning well.

You highlighted something very important here.

Of course there are things that parents SHOULD provide for their kids. But the reality is that half of American marriages end in divorce. It is a privilege to have two married parents - and as a child, that privilege is not one that you do anything to earn.

Parents should have their child's education and enrichment as a primary focus. But the reality is that many American parents have to be far more concerned with their family's physical and financial security. Many of them have to work multiple jobs in order to make ends meet. So having parents who have the means to send you to enrichment activities or to transport you to and from those is a privilege - and as a child, that privilege is not one that you do anything to earn.

It is not a child's fault if they have parents who, for whatever reason, cannot provide or choose not to provide the supports that you do. We do not operate within a caste system in America, and the public school system exists for the purpose of educating children of ALL backgrounds to be positive contributors to society. There are plenty of other opportunities for you to use your resources to purchase "extras" for your kids without expecting the taxpayers to do it for you.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who was pretty appalled by that video? Speaking to the white kids primarily and singling out kids, e.g. "those black kids back there" and "I guarantee those black kids could smoke some of you?"

I appreciate the fact that he pointed out no one did anything to get where they were but I wonder if what it was like for the kids in the back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who was pretty appalled by that video? Speaking to the white kids primarily and singling out kids, e.g. "those black kids back there" and "I guarantee those black kids could smoke some of you?"

I appreciate the fact that he pointed out no one did anything to get where they were but I wonder if what it was like for the kids in the back.

Yeah, it was a powerful video and I like the message but they should have done the activity in a way that was anonymous and didn’t potentially embarrass the kids in back. Plus some of the teacher’s comments were insensitive—unintentionally I’m sure, but still insensitive.

[Anonymous]

I guess you did not see the version where the taller kids' legs are cut off to make everyone equally short. Thus is what implementation looks like in reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who was pretty appalled by that video? Speaking to the white kids primarily and singling out kids, e.g. "those black kids back there" and "I guarantee those black kids could smoke some of you?"

I appreciate the fact that he pointed out no one did anything to get where they were but I wonder if what it was like for the kids in the back.

Yea no not at all. That’s insane !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess you did not see the version where the taller kids' legs are cut off to make everyone equally short. Thus is what implementation looks like in reality.

Actually, it's more like this:

You set up the boxes, but the ones who need the highest ones can't come to the game due to factors outside of school that are not the student's fault. What do you do?

If you can only control school and you don't want the other kids to gain an advantage, you take away their boxes. If they didn't need a box, you make them stand farther back.

If none of the kids who need the tallest boxes make it to the game, or if they won't stand on the boxes, avoid creating more of a gap by cancelling the game altogether.

Note that in these examples, I'm not saying that the students who need the boxes don't deserve them or aren't able to access them due to shortcomings or lack of effort. What I mean is that offering the boxes is often not enough to address the gaps in achievement, so the solution seems to be offering less to those with less need so that they don't get further ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May need to watch this before discussing equity.

My dd had a similar activity and was told she was privileged for having two married parents and there always being food on the table. That’s not privileged! There should be basic things that parents provide for their kids.

I think schools should meet kids where they are. I hope that the very smartest are being provided with the classes and support they need too. We need the next generation of entrepreneurs, doctors, scientists and top engineers. Instead we have a dumbed down curriculum where no one is learning well.

You don’t like the label or you don’t like the concept?

Our schools aren’t “dumbed down”.

Easy for you to say from the ground level.

[Anonymous]

Everyone has their own struggle. Equity doesn’t work in all
Aspects of life. One who is more deserving should get the reward. It teaches the kids importance of hard work. Some people are lucky, can we take away luck from them, as some others have not been lucky?