Over the past year I have written multiple times about how critical equity is for ensuring all of our children master rigorous state standards. It is not something to be put on the back burner for more favorable times. As parents we all want our children to succeed on state standards and go beyond that bar to even higher achievement.

Equity is the practice of doing whatever it takes to ensure each child meets rigorous academic standards. Each child comes to school with different needs, but the goal for each child is the same. Therefore, as citizens, it is imperative that we ensure our schools provide whatever it takes for each student to master the state standards.

Some students come to school suffering from trauma that consumes the ‘brain’ width they need for learning. Others are hungry and often homeless which makes focusing on school learning almost impossible. Some students are learning to speak English as they also learn rigorous content; a task most adults would struggle to accomplish. Other students come with a disability that requires additional accommodations in order to master the materials while others come feeling they are not truly welcomed at school as they stand on the sidelines not feeling seen or welcomed. These hurdles can keep our children and us from reaching our goal of all children mastering rigorous standards.

This past year it has been even harder for schools to provide equity to all students and continue to reform their systems so that equity is a way of life in schools. The governmental administration has decreed diversity, equity, and inclusion to be not welcomed in our country. Equity practices can cause schools to receive intense inspection and hardship if they work to provide each child with what they need to succeed.

The US Department of Education sent letters to all schools and state education departments to cease “illegal DEI practices.” Such practices may, according to the Department, in its view favor or harm some groups and not others. They claim in their March 1, 2025  FAQ document that “many schools have advanced racially discriminatory policies and practices under the banner of “DEI” initiatives. Other schools have sought to veil racially discriminatory policies with terms like “social-emotional learning” or “culturally responsive” teaching.”(page 6, https://www.ed.gov/media/document/frequently-asked-questions-about-racial-preferences-and-stereotypes-under-title-vi-of-civil-rights-act-109530.pdf )

Despite these attempts at intimidation, many schools and educators have continued to push forward to ensure all our children have whatever they each need to succeed in school. This has required courage and efforts to fly under the radar. In the meanwhile, the American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s directive. Federal courts blocked the letter from the US Department of Education from going into effect. Now after this initial defeat in court the Department has dropped their appeal and the letter all together. This leaves the ruling striking down the federal guidance in effect. The administration’s dropping of the appeal puts an end to their original guidance which would have ended efforts to create rigorous educational opportunities for all students.

Now is the time to be BOLD and do whatever it takes to ensure all students master rigorous state standards. Some schools and many educators have been acting boldly despite this letter and continue to push for systemic reform that gives each student what they need to succeed.  However, many school backed off from their previous efforts to establish equity. To these schools especially, NOW IS THE TIME TO BE BOLD. Now is the time to stand up for all students. When all our children are achieving at high levels we will make our country great. Making America great requires us all achieving together at high levels. No student can be left on the sidelines.

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