As I’m scrolling Facebook this meme came up. I’ve seen the equality/equity version of this and referenced it many times in thinking about my students receiving accommodations and modifications under an IEP of 504 plan or an English language acquisition plan, but this meme, which includes the social justice element really hits home.
I remember being in Hermosillo Mexico with my family and being in the mercados. I remember seeing large families buying new shoes for their children, shiny patent leather for the girls, and sturdy brown loafers for the boys. And then I remember seeing large families, with their children sitting outside the shoe store with their children lined up from smallest to biggest, selling their wares. This was common place; people either had rags or riches. My mom explained that there was no middle class. Later that week, the peso devalued, and while we went to sleep having $300, we woke up having $30. This impact was felt all across Mexico, but none felt it like the poor felt it.
My uncle later went on to explain that education was the key. The people with riches were educated and could keep their riches because they could afford to send their children to quality schools, ensuring they would have quality jobs, and therefore earn quantity. Conversely, those in rags, had to send their children to the fields to make meager money to help support the family, and the education they got was from the work they did. It was not uncommon to see small children washing windows for pesos with newspaper at busy intersections. This disparity over years led to the slow elimination of the middle class, and made education the key factor in economic success.
Yes, so what does this have to do with the social justice meme? I fear that we are headed for the same fate where your education is the deciding factor in your financial successes. I fear that the lack of equity in schools is perpetuating a generational economic and opportunity gap and that this gap will eventually widen enough to eliminate the middle class.
In Mexico the socioeconomic factor was a major factor between the haves and the have nots, but here, in the modern US, economics is a layer of inequity that often coexists with being part of a historically marginalized community. After generations of marginalization, other aggravating factors contribute to the inequities: patterns of unhealthy lifestyles including drugs and alcohol, teenage pregnancy, trauma,and generational educational inequity.
In this regard, the work we do in public education goes so far beyond reading, writing and arithmatic. We have a responsibility not only to provide rigorous academics, but we also need to mitigate the social impacts of marginalization, we have to smash the barriers that hold children back, not only invite, but welcome their voices at the problem solving table, and we have to be committed to success for all.
As it was on the streets of Hermosillo in the 70’s, it is what we are seeing here: Quality educational expereinces are becoming a primary factor in economic earning power, and the only way to break the pattern of generational poverty is through quality education that it equitable and attainable for all stduents.
My goal for my kiddos is that they all have the opportunity to excel socially, emotionally, academically, athletically…That they have the opportunity to take any and every class that interests them, from AP to foreign language to shop…That they have choices in their post high school expereince, and that their education, or lack of a quality one, isn’t the reason for limited options. We have a long way to go to make this vision a reality, but I am committed to the work. It isnt just about leveling the playing field, it is about knocking down fences.
