Equity

We chose to make this issue “The Equity Issue.” In other words, we decided to pay particularly close attention to “equity” –- historically, and its present manifestations in the school setting.

Our conversation started with a collective acknowledgement that before we could begin to address the manifestations of equity in any present-day setting, we must first solidify an understanding of the historical underpinnings of inequity. It is the prevalence of inequity and an understanding of its effects, after all, that makes the discussion and pursuit of equity worthwhile.

We ran a three-part cover series last year — “Separate and Unequal” — that examined the underlying issues associated with racial inequity in St. Louis. Last school year, as a staff we also watched and discussed the short documentary “Displaced and Erased,” which explores the origins of inequity – specifically in Clayton.

Keeping the momentum of last year’s exploration alive, we decided to delve further into Clayton’s segregated history and also investigate the present state of educational equity that has informed and will continue to inform the study and focus of Clayton faculty professional development. In this modern world, education and technology do go hand-in-hand, and we looked at how this relationship plays into equity as well.