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Equity vs. Equality: Eliminating Barriers in the Classroom

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By Sierrah Chavis

If you’ve ever done any research on the terms “equity” or “equality,” you might have come across the illustrations by Tony Ruth (based on Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree), which each depict an apple tree and two young children standing below it. The first image shows the children waiting to collect the apples that fall, but the tree is slightly inclined to the left, so all of the apples are falling on that side and only one boy can collect them. This represents the idea of “inequality.”

In the next image, each boy is given a ladder of the same size. The boy on the left can use the ladder to easily collect apples, but the ladder is too short for the boy on the right. This image represents “equality,” where the same tools are given to everyone. However, in this case having two ladders of equal heights is of no use to one of the boys.

Finally we come to the third image. This time the boy on the right has a slightly taller ladder than the other boy’s, which allows him to finally reach and collect apples as easily as the boy on the left. This image demonstrates “equity,” the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the difficulties we face in the world, but rather a right-size solution for each individual’s needs.

As a former educator and current administrator, I’ve noticed that in recent years “equitability” and “equality” have become popular buzzwords, but although the two terms are frequently used interchangeably, there are significant differences between them.

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Sierrah Chavis is currently the Chief of Staff for ChildSavers, a mental health agency for children, prior to which she was an educational leader for 10 years, fulfilling roles of curriculum specialist administrator, teacher, and special education case manager. She is the recipient of an Impact Leader Award from the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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Sierrah Chavis
Sierrah Chavis
Sierrah Chavis is currently the Chief of Staff for ChildSavers, a mental health agency for children, prior to which she was an educational leader for 10 years, fulfilling roles of curriculum specialist administrator, teacher, and special education case manager. She is the recipient of an Impact Leader Award from the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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