A rigorous education that ensures children at least master state standards is the expectation for every child in the United States. Our educational system in the United States has struggled since its very beginnings to include all children in a rigorous education. However, despite this struggle, dedicated educators and parents have never given up on pushing forward to ensure all children are highly educated.
This struggle has been necessary for progress with our marginalized students. Children who find themselves on the perimeter looking in and longing for a rigorous education include those living with poverty, with limited English, with disabilities, and/or of skin color and/or ethnicity that is not white/Caucasian. Advocacy and tremendous efforts by parents and educators, enactment of federal and state laws, and numerous court rulings have been a part of slowly moving the marginalized to the mainstream. This is essential to ensure all students are highly educated.
Educators who have supported and continue to support these students have watched with concern and dismay this past year as decrees have been made telling schools that they should no longer pay attention to equity. The supporters of these students hold their breath as the Department of Education is weakened to a place where it is no longer a major player in promoting a rigorous education for all students regardless of background or circumstances.
However, some of the most painful recent trauma to the educational community, that works every day to educate all students to a high level including the marginalized, has been the behaviors of some (not all) white people who also call themselves Christians. While I have always tried to stay away from religious beliefs and solely in the lane of education in my blog, I must call out the actions I see that make many educators wonder why these folks cheer the actions and decrees to abolish all efforts at providing equity for students.
I am believer and follower of Jesus Christ. I believe He is the Son of God, came to earth to live among men, died to pay the price for my sin, and rose again on the third day. He is now with His father God in heaven, where I will also live when my time on earth is over. I am also white. I tell you this so that you will understand that despite my background, I am also confused and dismayed that some white Christians are causing resistance and trauma to the efforts to educate all children to high levels which requires equity: whatever each individual child needs to succeed.
Christians believe that the book of Revelation presents a picture of the world to come, both in Heaven and here on Earth. If you read the book of Revelation, you will note that it repeatedly describes Heaven filled with people “from every tribe and language and people and nation.” In addition, if you read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that give accounts of Jesus Christ’s time on earth in human form, you will note that Jesus does not just hang out with the Jews (who considered themselves the elite group of the day) but with all sorts of people including various nationalities, the poor, those with disabilities, criminals, sinners, speakers of different languages, and those with different belief systems.
Jesus showed love to all these people. He offered his salvation to anyone, regardless of who they were, if they believed. He reached out in love first so that they had the opportunity to believe. That is why the vision of Heaven expressed in Revelation is so diverse.
As an educator and a follower of Jesus Christ, practicing equity is a moral imperative. I must continue to push for and ensure that all children receive a rigorous education. There must not be a second-rate education for marginalized students; their education must be as rigorous as other students receive. There should be no marginalized children, period. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I am to show love to all people just as He did.
Providing equity or whatever it takes for each child to be educated to a high level is a part of showing love. Including all children at the table of rigorous learning is showing love.
Practicing equity shows love. It is required for followers of Jesus Christ. His commandment to us is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22: 37-39).
As Christians we are expected, commanded, to show the love of God. Calling marginalized children and their families names, shunning them, and failing to do whatever it takes to ensure their rigorous education does not show love. If you call yourself a Christian or a follower of Jesus Christ, you must extend love (equity) to all children.
We are in the season when people around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ sent in love from God above. Those of us who are followers of Christ should be the one leading the celebration by sharing God’s love and our love with marginalized children. We cross their paths every day. We must see them and speak up for them. We should be practicing equity by doing whatever it takes to ensure all students are high educated.
This blog is written by Dr. GwenCarol Holmes, a long-time educator and passionate advocate for all students mastering rigorous standards.