Leadership magazine Sept/Oct 2015 V45 No 1 | Page 29

ASKED&Answered
What is the role of educators in addressing equity issues?
Three contributors to Leadership magazine share their beliefs about closing the gap

O

ur job as leaders is knowing how we as educators

debate. Certainly racism existed throughout our history and

and schools embrace our students as being capable

is alive and well today. Certainly other forms of systemic

of learning, and believing we have the capacity to

oppression underlie many of our schools’ struggles with

learn how to teach all students. The task has shifted from a

identifying and closing opportunity/achievement gaps, in

legal mandate to a moral commitment to our professional

addressing disproportional suspensions and expulsions,

learning in service of diverse student populations...

over-representation of students of color in special education

As educators today, for what are we waiting to make deciRandall B. Lindsey
Emeritus professor, author
Cultural Proficiency books

sions that are in the best interest of our students? Surely, we
are not waiting on data or evidence that indicates who is being
served well or not well by our current system.
Educators who embrace the core values and standards of

programs, and [