FOCUS
An opportunity for equity
By Sonia Caus Gleason and Jill Harrison Berg
Categories: Learning systems/planning, Outcomes, Reaching all studentsJune 2020
Vol. 41, No. 3
When COVID-19 appeared on international radar this year and began its march around the globe, it revealed to any who might have previously denied it that the work to eliminate educational inequities is far from done. Pandemic shines a light on the need for equitable teaching practices. #LearnFwdTLP Share on X During this pandemic, some students have uninterrupted access to the basic needs of daily life and remote learning requirements such as devices, internet, and a supportive learning environment, while others do not. This pattern is not random; it can be predicted by demographics, including race, income level, and ZIP code, that continue to be shaped by institutional and structural racism. Since the first enslaved Africans were brought to the North American continent 400 years
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References
Berg, J.H. & Gleason, S.C. (2018). Come together for equity: Rework beliefs, actions, and systems through professional learning. The Learning Professional, 39(5), 25-27. lf.wphlab.com/journal/october-2018-vol-39-no-5/come-together-for-equity.
Brooks, R.A. (2020, April). African-Americans struggle with disproportionate COVID death toll. National Geographic Society. www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/04/coronavirus-disproportionately-impacts-african-americans
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). COVID-19 in racial and ethnic minority groups. Washington, DC: Author. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/racial-ethnic-minorities.html
Hanks, A., Solomon, D., & Weller, C.E. (2018, February 21). Systematic inequality: How America’s structural racism helped create the black-white wealth gap. Center for American Progress. www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/reports/2018/02/21/447051/systematic-inequality
Hannah-Jones, N. & Elliott, M. (Eds.). (2019). The 1619 Project. The New York Times. www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (2016). What teachers should know and be able to do (2nd ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.
Rho, H.J., Brown, H., & Fremstad, S. (2020, April 7). A basic demographic of workers in frontline industries. Center for Economic and Policy Research. cepr.net/a-basic-demographic-profile-of-workers-in-frontline-industries
Sonia Caus Gleason consults and coaches on collaborative adult learning and measurement efforts that pursue equity, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Jill Harrison Berg is a leadership coach, school improvement consultant, researcher, and writer committed to maximizing the leadership potential of teachers.
Categories: Learning systems/planning, Outcomes, Reaching all students
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