Exploring Equity Scenarios

  1. It is Ramadan and the parents of students in the school go to the administrator, and ask for a prayer room for the students to use to pray in during the day. As the principal is seeking input on this issue, teachers start to complain that students will just be using the room to get out of class and so the principal says that she cannot honour this request and is very apologetic to the families.
  1. The Parent Council meeting is held at 5 pm on Wednesday nights. The same small group of parents attends each month.
  1. All students are asked to pay $20 for the field trip to Stratford. The fee covers the bus, admission to a play connected to the curriculum, and lunch.
  1. The school is celebrating Black History Month with assemblies, performances and class projects; however, some parents are complaining that this is “favoritism” of one group over others.
  1. A student with a history of behavioural concerns and frequent absences curses at a teacher in a classroom. The teacher asks the student to speak with her in the hallway and then the student returns to class without any other disciplinary action. Other students in the class are shocked and say that it is not fair that this student got “special treatment” and didn’t go to the office.
  1. The Gay-Straight Alliance at the school (an organization of students who are identified as heterosexual and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer) has asked the school administration for a “Gay-Friendly” dance, and the school principal says that it is not necessary as the school dance is for ALL students.

Discuss your designated scenario and think about the following:

  1. What issue/type of oppression is at the core of the scenario?
  2. What might be the challenges in this issue?
  3. What are possible equitable responses to the issue/scenario? Why?