Achieving Equality

By Jedidjah De Vries

Education is for everyone. It is the gift of opportunity. We have to help all our students realize their potential no matter the disadvantages they may have coming in.

1. Create an atmosphere of equality

• We must educate teachers to be aware of issues such as gender equality and make sure that our classrooms truly are open and safe environments. Girls still tend to be called on less, for example, and teachers need to actively monitor their classrooms and step in when they overhear inappropriate comments.

• Not only must we give disadvantaged students equal opportunities but we must show them that those opportunities are available to them. All too often, for example, girls grow up believing that math and science are only for boys. And many economically disadvantaged students think that college is not for them.

• Diversity benefits everyone, not just minorities. Equality is about creating the type of society we want to see in the future. Our classrooms and schools provide us with this opportunity.

Subtle forms of discrimination and prejudice are still prevalent in our society. We should help students become aware of these tendencies. A unit on gender awareness should be added to government courses in high school. Tolerance should be taught starting in elementary schools. The problem is no longer acknowledging that racism and sexism are problem, but internalizing those lessons.

3. Inspire

Not only must we provide opportunities, not only must we encourage students to take them - we must also inspire them to excel. Disadvantaged students need to have positive role models. Just having a story of a renowned scientist who happens to be a women in a side box in the margin is not enough. We need to show students that women and minorities are an integral part of this nations story and success. Women and minority professors from UCSB should be brought in, for example, as living proof to students that it is possible to excel and succeed.

Equality is important not only to the students but to society as whole. We need to ensure that those shaping our world in the years to come hail from diverse backgrounds.