With Equity There Are No Lessor Scholars

Isabel Wilkerson in her enlightening Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents names the eight pillars of caste systems. Number eight is “Inherent Superiority versus Inherent Inferiority.” This system raises its ugly head in our schools when our programs create lessor scholars based on how children arrive at school.

Often if our children arrive at the schoolhouse door not speaking English, or living in poverty, or dealing with trauma, or with no preschool experience, or an identified disability, or not appearing white or numerous other characteristics, they are often deemed a lessor scholar. They are placed in the bottom reading group and given instruction below grade level because they are ‘behind when they enter the door.’ They are sent down the hall to English development classes that focus on social English but often fail to provide them the academic English they need to succeed in rigorous classes, or they are placed in remedial or basic math classes rather than learning advanced mathematics. When they graduate high school, they leave our public education system with a lessor education than their fellow students who were taught to read complex texts, mastered advanced mathematics, and participated in numerous advanced opportunity classes preparing them for the rigorous of college and or technical certification.

However, schools that practice equity realize that our systems, often intended to support students with needs, are instead systems that perpetuate the marginalization of many of our children. These schools do not allow a child’s circumstances to determine what type of education they get. Rather these schools do whatever it takes to ensure all students master rigorous academic standards so that they graduate high school with a wide range of future opportunities available to them.

These schools teach all students to read grade level text and above. They use the science of reading and instructional practices proven to ensure all students learn to read at high levels. They teach all students to think and reason mathematically rather than using rote algorithms. They teach students to use their mathematically knowledge to address real life problems. They are constantly and explicitly teaching their students to read, reason, write, and think as scholars in the various content literacies such as chemistry, biology, economics, history, performing arts, visual arts, technology and so many more. The students in these schools know that their teachers have high expectations for them and will support them in achieving them.

Schools that ensure that all their students are excellent scholars, do not just call their students scholars, but rather they dismantle the very systems that create lessor scholars versus high level scholars. They refuse to silo students in leveled reading groups, remedial classes, and classrooms for students identified with special needs. Rather they are inclusive schools that bring all students to the advanced table of learning and provide whatever each student needs to master the rigorous standards whether it be additional tutoring, academic language instruction, co-teaching, cooperative learning, mental and/or physical health services, etc. When they have a student in need, they leave no stone unturned in finding the support the student needs either in the school or in the community that surrounds the school.

Educators in schools who ensure all students are excellent scholars are relentless in their belief in all children’s abilities, their expectations for their students, and their pursuit of whatever it takes to ensure that every child master the rigorous grade level standards and graduates high school college and career ready.

References:

Wilkerson, I. (2020). Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Random House

This blog is written by Dr. GwenCarol Holmes, a long-time educator and passionate advocate for all students mastering rigorous standards.