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This video offers a clear and concise introduction to the Basics of LGBTQIA+, explaining the acronym and highlighting the diverse identities it represents. The video also emphasizes creating inclusive, safe spaces while fostering understanding and respect for all identities. Perfect for anyone looking to build a foundation in LGBTQIA+ awareness.

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After WRAL News reported on anti-discrimination laws popping up in local communities, a middle school student wanted to know how those protections might translate to campus.

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Non-Binary middle schooler asks Dan Haggarty about LGBTQ student's rights and protections

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A short, engaging video explaining pronouns and their importance, perfect for fostering respect and understanding.

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This video helps to learn about the history of LGBTQ+ Pride Month and why Pride Month is in June.

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Did You Know: The History of Pride Month | Encyclopaedia Britannica

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What does the LGBT students wants to know

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The story of a transgender child based on the real-life experience of Jazz Jennings, who has become a spokesperson for transkids everywhere

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From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers

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Heather Has Two Mommies" by Lesléa Newman

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It is a classic story about a little girl with two moms

celebrating family diversity.

Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, two pets—and two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.

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My Rainbow
Book by DeShanna Neal and Trinity Neal

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Dedicated mom puts love into action as she creates the perfect rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, based on the real-life experience of mother-daughter advocate duo Trinity and DeShanna Neal.

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She’s My Dad!: A Story for Children Who Have a Transgender Parent or Relative

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The "Making Gay History" podcast is a compelling and educational series that chronicles the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement through interviews with pioneering activists, leaders, and individuals who played key roles in the fight for equality. Each episode features personal stories, experiences, and reflections on the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. This podcast is a valuable resource for learning about LGBTQ+ history and the significant figures who helped shape the movement, offering a rich, first-person perspective on the struggles and victories of LGBTQ+ individuals. It is insightful and deeply informative for both LGBTQ+ advocacy and history enthusiasts.

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Making Gay History is back with more hidden histories mined from Eric Marcus's 30-year-old audio archive. Ten new episodes featuring intimate, personal interviews with LGBTQ civil rights pioneers-some known and some long-forgotten champions, heroes, and witnesses to queer history.

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True Stories of The Lives of Queer and Trans People

True Stories of The Lives of Queer and Trans People

Enjoyable and informative

This podcast is topical and important for the Rainbow community and the communities that intersect it. I also like the Podcaster is hosting from Ohio and comes across as very open and vulnerable in discussing really personal and sensitive topics. Brava! Bravo! I'll keep listening as you keep producing content.

Just The Best

Queersplaining is where I go when I need that uplifting feel. Callie makes such a safe, inviting, and welcoming space. Each episode is like a really long hug. 💙💜

Touching

I've listened to this podcast for the past year, and I get something to think about from every episode. I just listened to the episode Trans Immersion Class, and THANK YOU for exactly what you mentioned in the episode, a podcast that goes beyond Trans 101 and shares from the heart to the audience. It's the perfect way for me to learn without invading and taking up space. I'm going to go subscribe to Gender Reveal right now! Callie, keep up the fantastic work ❤️

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True Stories of The Lives of Queer and Trans People True Stories of The Lives of Queer and Trans People This podcast is topical and important for the Rainbow community and the communities that intersect it. I also like the Podcaster is hosting from Ohio and comes across as very open and vulnerable in discussing really personal and sensitive topics.

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"Two Grooms on a Cake" is a children's book that tells the heartwarming story of a same-sex wedding featuring two grooms getting married. The book addresses themes of love, family, and acceptance simply and inclusively, aiming to normalize same-sex relationships for young readers. It's a great resource for promoting diversity, equality, and understanding in the classroom or home.

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As seen on The TODAY Show!“Sanders tells the tale in easy-to-understand language, sweet as the frosting on the cake. . . . As beautiful as it is in…

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Queer America is an exploration of the history of sexual identity and gender identity in the United States. Leila Rupp and John D’Emilio host this new podcast from Learning for Justice—a resource to help educators integrate LGBTQ history into their curriculum.

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Without LGBTQ history, there is no American history. From Learning for Justice and hosts Leila Rupp and John D'Emilio, Queer America takes listeners on a journey that spans from Harlem to the Frontier West, revealing stories of LGBTQ life we should have learned in school.

This podcast is produced in partnership with University of Wisconsin Press, publishers of Understanding and Teaching U.S. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History. It is the first book designed for high school and university teachers who want to integrate LGBTQ history into their standard curriculum.

Listen to each episode individually, or subscribe for automatic downloads using:

Queer America is an exploration of the history of sexual identity and gender identity in the United States. Leila Rupp and John D'Emilio host this new podcast from Learning for Justice-a resource to help educators integrate LGBTQ history into their curriculum.

From the Gold Rush to the Cold War, Historian Daniel Hurewitz offers strategies for integrating LGBTQ History into your curriculum. He shares lesson examples from U.S. history and insights from educators already teaching queer history in their classrooms.

In a fascinating conversation with host Leila J. Rupp, historian and writer Genny Beemyn brings us inspiring-and surprising-stories of trans and gender nonconforming figures, from the Frontier West to the modern civil rights movement and beyond.

Lessons from the classroom-from high stakes testing to critical thinking skills-professor Emily Hobson & public school teacher Felicia Perez discuss their experiences and practical advice to help you incorporate LGBTQ History.

We're passing love notes across time. Historian Susan K. Freeman takes a deep dive into the history of women who loved women-and offers ways for educators to connect love letters to lessons on culture, women's rights movements and literary themes.

Lifelong partnerships between women existed long before the legalization of gay marriage. Susan K. Freeman continues her exploration of the spaces they found-in their words, their societies and their homes-for same-sex intimacy.

"If we teach only about the Red Scare, we're only telling part of the story of the Cold War." Historian David K. Johnson explores the systemic firing of gay government employees and the consequences of a homophobic culture that still endure today.

World War II plunged a double-edged sword into the heart of the U.S. queer community. Historian Susan Freeman examines how the war brought gay men and lesbians together, and the ways it isolated them from the right to serve and benefit from their service.

What can the private lives of public figures like Eleanor Roosevelt and J. Edgar Hoover tell us about their impact on U.S. history? Historian Claire Potter helps us navigate the relationships among identity, power and actions-and why we must teach them.

Don't start-or stop-with Stonewall. To understand not just LGBTQ history but all post-war U.S. history, students must see the 1960s in context. In this episode, Amnesty International's Ian Lekus dives into the minority-rights revolutions of the 1960s.

The revolution was intersectional. Amnesty International's Ian Lekus returns to discuss ways educators can highlight the many identities of 1960s activists and help students understand the roles LGBTQ people played in movements you already teach.

"Inequality directly affected the scope of the epidemic." Historian Jennifer Brier and CAARAC founder Shakita Jones discuss the history and structural discrimination surrounding AIDS, and how to approach these difficult conversations in the classroom.

Queer characters have existed on screen since the era of silent film. But do they have a starring role in your syllabus? Scholars Sharon Ullman and Nicholas Syrett offer concrete strategies for teaching LGBTQ history through films and documentaries.

On our season finale, join Learning for Justice Senior Writer Cory Collins and hosts Leila Rupp and John D'Emilio as they offer concrete tips for creating LGBTQ-inclusive classrooms and taking themes from this podcast into our daily practice.
Read the Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students Guide

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Without LGBTQ history, there is no American history. From Learning for Justice and hosts Leila Rupp and John D'Emilio, Queer America takes listeners on a journey that spans from Harlem to the Frontier West, revealing stories of LGBTQ life we should have learned in school.

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This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. The Pilot Season and Season One are produced in partnership with Making Gay History.

For K-12 educators who want to create LGBTQ-inclusive classrooms, getting started can be confusing - and quite often prompts some fear. What if I say or do the wrong thing? What if there is pushback? And where do I even begin?

Our Pilot Series and Season One provide real-world advice and reasonable, practical strategies on how you can create LGBTQ-inclusive classrooms.

Series Intro: As We Learn, We Realize How Much More There Is to Know

Ep 1: How K-5 Teachers Can Dismantle Stereotypes Featuring Chip James

Ep 2: Navigating the Spectrum of Gender Diversity in Your Classroom Featuring Amber Joseph

Ep 3: Everyday Opportunities to Create LGBTQ-inclusive Schools Featuring Dr. Steve LaBounty-McNair

Ep 1: The "Power of a Pink Cup" in a 3rd Grade Classroom Featuring Chip James

Ep 2: Introducing LGBTQ-inclusive Books in Your Classroom Featuring Kathleen Barker

Ep 3: Ways of Being in the Ancient World Are Returning Featuring Stephen Guerriero

Ep 4: The Belonging Blurb for Every Classroom Featuring Dr. Heather Brown-Hudson

Ep 5: Navigating Pushback with Compassion Featuring Triana Wilson

Intersections & Connections: Deep Dives and Backstories

In Season Two, hosted by Kathleen Barker,* you will meet a few history-makers featured in our Intersections & Connections curriculum and hear some fascinating and empowering backstories!

Youth Equity Podcast: Amplifying Youth Voice

Our youth equity programming is a semester-long podcast project funded by the New York City Council and in collaboration with Houses on the Moon Theater Company. We believe real human stories spark transformation and that students' unheard stories have the power to create real change in our world.

Our pilot season dropped on July 2nd, 2022. Have a listen!

Ep 1: "Don't Say Gay?" Featuring Prism Club Students from Aviation High School

Ep 2: "Art Class Matters!" Featuring Students from the Bronx High School for the Visual Arts

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This History UnErased podcast is funded by the New York City Council. The Pilot Season and Season One are produced in partnership with Making Gay History. For K-12 educators who want to create LGBTQ-inclusive classrooms, getting started can be confusing - and quite often prompts some fear.

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The collections of the Library of Congress tell the rich and diverse story of LGBTQ+ life in America and around the world.

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Research Guides: LGBTQIA+ Studies: A Resource Guide: Introduction

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The collections of the Library of Congress tell the rich and diverse story of LGBTQ+ life in America and around the world. This research guide serves as an introduction into the excellent collection of LGBTQ+ resources available at the Library of Congress This research guide serves as an introductio…

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Guide to tour on LGBTQ history in DC

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Take a walking tour | Rainbow History - Collecting, preserving, and promoting LGBTQ history in Washington D.C.

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Collecting, preserving, and promoting LGBTQ history in Washington D.C.

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Corner of Haight and Ashbury

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Corner of Haight and Ashbury | National Trust for Historic Preservation

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The Corner of Haight and Ashbury was at the center of the 1960s’ countercultural revolution in San Francisco.

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About LGBTQ people who made history

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Praise

"Prager presents each figure with enthusiasm and provides lots of interesting details that allow readers a glimpse into that person's world." (Kirkus Reviews)

"[A] lively look for middle grade readers at queer figures, present and past, who made an impact on the world...each accompanied by a dynamic portrait illustration by artist Sarah Papworth." (Boston Globe)

"Easy to understand, making it accessible to a wide range of readers. [...] Readers will enjoy the ease of dropping in and reading a little bit here and there." (School Library Journal)

"This super-attractive compilation does [...] much [...] for the queer community. [...] One-page thumbnail sketches are neither dry nor formulaic but rather lively and unique." (San Francisco Chronicle)

"Filled with exciting, inspiring and heartbreaking stories, this is a wonderful reminder of LGBTQ+ peoples' contributions to history." (Book Riot)

"[W]ill have the effect of inspiring young readers. For middle-grade readers, it will likely be a compelling volume." (Mombian)

"Phenomenal! [...] You need to order this book IMMEDIATELY, I cannot stress this enough." (The Tiny Activist)

"This engaging audiobook will leave listeners impressed by the courage, determination, and accomplishments of these extraordinary heroes who broke barriers and changed the world for future generations." (AudioFile)

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"Prager presents each figure with enthusiasm and provides lots of interesting details that allow readers a glimpse into that person's world." (Kirkus Reviews) "[A] lively look for middle grade readers at queer figures, present and past, who made an impact on the world...each accompanied by a dynamic portrait illustration by artist Sarah Papworth."

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Though not gender and sexuality specific, these are helpful look-for to avoid as we seek to operationalize our ABAR work.

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Vol. 78

No. 6

Abstract

Equity Traps and Tropes

1. "Doing" Equity

2. Siloing Equity

3. The Equity Warrior

4. Spray-and-Pray Equity

5. Navel-Gazing Equity

6. Structural Equity

7. Blanket Equity

8. Tokenizing Equity

9. Superficial Equity

10. Boomerang Equity

Avoiding the Traps

Equity Traps at a Glance

How shortcuts and default practices can get in the way of meaningful school equity efforts.

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Abstract

Equity Traps and Tropes

1. "Doing" Equity

2. Siloing Equity

3. The Equity Warrior

4. Spray-and-Pray Equity

5. Navel-Gazing Equity

6. Structural Equity

7. Blanket Equity

8. Tokenizing Equity

9. Superficial Equity

10. Boomerang Equity

Avoiding the Traps

Equity Traps at a Glance

Ensuring high outcomes for all in schools is not a task that can be checked off a list. Equity isn't a destination but an unwavering commitment to a journey. It can be easy to focus on where we hope to land and lose sight of the deliberate daily actions that constitute the process.

There are no shortcuts for true equity, and yet the pressures of the job leave educators constantly trying to find those shortcuts. Day-to-day fires and the weight of the system make it enticing to hold others, and not ourselves, accountable.

Instead, educators need to reorient themselves to working toward equity. This requires us to:

Acknowledge that our systems, practices, and narratives are designed to perpetuate disparities in outcomes for Black and brown students-thus, there is no path to equity without a consistent antiracist approach.

Deliberately identify barriers that predict success or failure and actively disrupt them.

Consistently examine personal identity, bias, and both personal and collective contributions to the creation and/or reproduction of inequitable practices.

(Re)allocate resources (tools, time, money, people, support) to ensure every child gets what they need to thrive socially, emotionally, and intellectually.

Cultivate the unique gifts, talents, and interests that every person possesses. 1

Equity Traps and Tropes

In the journey of working toward equity, educators have to be careful not to be detoured by "easy fixes" or changes that don't get to the root of the problem. It takes a radical shift to propel the kind of instructional transformation needed to get to deep, equitable, and culturally sustaining learning. And there are many traps and tropes that act as land mines to deter educators from this goal. A trap is a mechanism or device designed to catch and retain. It offers a quick entry but does not allow exit. A trope is a recurring theme we've seen happen before, a cliché of sorts. Over our years as educators, we have found ourselves, and have watched others, unintentionally fall victim to the very circumstances we are trying to change-stepping into unsuspected traps and replaying oppressive tropes.

Let's look at 10 common equity traps-and a few tropes we find within them-and deconstruct what it looks and sounds like to fall into these traps.

1. "Doing" Equity

Sometimes educators treat equity as a series of tools, strategies, and compliance tasks versus a whole-person, whole-system change process linked to culture, identity, and healing. We've been taught to find the framework, the new observation checklist, or the new teaching approach and to implement it without deeply understanding what we are doing and how it connects to our overall goals. Working toward equity does not come with a pre-set program or toolkit that simply needs to be implemented. The work requires us to understand the specific ways inequity plays out in our context, to engage in praxis-the integration of constant reflection and action- and to engage in a continuous cycle of learning. "Doing equity" reduces the complexity of the work to a set of straightforward tasks without thinking about the school as a complex ecosystem requiring a holistic approach to change.

2. Siloing Equity

Look at the strategic plans of many organizations and schools working toward equity. You will likely find a policy, a new "equity" vision statement, or a newly formed task force designed to increase equitable outcomes. These task forces may generate good ideas and even strong plans, but they are often disconnected from the overall work of the school or system. For example, if the equity task force sets a priority of increasing staff diversity, but the broader staff cannot articulate those goals, then working toward equity in the task force is likely a siloed effort. If the task force meets as a unit, but never engages with any other body in the system- especially those related to instruction-the work toward equity is likely siloed. Siloing equity leads us to believe that equity is separate from instruction, which is separate from culture, which is separate from every other aspect of student experience and learning.

3. The Equity Warrior

The Equity Warrior is an incredible educator, often treated as a martyr to the work. This person is eager to push their colleagues and school forward and willing to take on significant additional work to bring the team along. Unfortunately, the Equity Warrior can easily become the default holder of the school or system's vision for equity, allowing colleagues to opt out, stay inside their comfort zones, or refuse to invest in their own equity learning, which is critical to the change effort. When "siloing equity" is at play, this person is often asked to be the lone voice. Equity Warriors can be elevated for their contributions or sometimes obliterated for them. In either scenario, the work rests on their shoulders and if they are not present, the work tends to fizzle out.

Not all Equity Warrior experiences are created equal. We find two tropes within this trap, each of which are difficult for the persons involved. The first is the Lone Ranger of Color and can be hard to spot in early stages. A school team is excited to elevate the leadership of a staff member of color and shower him or her with praise for taking on the work. As time goes on and the work gets deeper, the burden on the Lone Ranger of Color begins to increase. The Lone Ranger asks colleagues to demonstrate collective and cross-racial leadership for equity, only to have white colleagues treat these requests as an add-on ("I already have too much on my plate."). Meanwhile, the Lone Rangers are asked to be the resident culture and behavior specialists when white colleagues are unsure what to do. In the worst-case scenario, they are encouraged to bring ideas to the table, but when they step into their power and express a dissenting view, they have the devastating experience of being subtly or overtly reprimanded.

The second trope, the Great White Hope, rests in a savior mentality-the belief that it is this person's responsibility to rescue students of color from an oppressive situation, or even from themselves. This leader has been to anti-racism conferences, read equity literature, and is committed to the cause. The problem arises when we view this leader as an equity "expert" rather than a dedicated, lifelong equity student. We are in dangerous territory when this leader is elevated for her warriorship while silencing the leaders of color around her. This leader may be well-read, but most books, curriculum, and resources that guide her approach come from white authors.

This leader must be vigilant in developing awareness of how unchecked privilege can undermine equity efforts, as she has the potential to undermine this work under the guise of heroism. White leaders must be careful of their approach to leadership and see much of their work as uplifting the voices of others, holding other white people accountable, and taking action in coalition with people of color.

4. Spray-and-Pray Equity

Many school leaders are convinced that if they just get the right trainer, everything will be "fixed." The staff will become more equity-centered. A common refrain we (as trainers ourselves) hear is, "If we just train our teachers around their implicit biases, then they will treat students better." While such training may benefit staff, training without a commitment to ongoing learning and development will likely result in temporary or no change. Sleeter found that even when teachers receive long-term daily training for a full six weeks, any change in their practice dissipates within three months. 2 Authentic commitment to working toward equity requires a comprehensive approach to capacity-building, including coaching, reflection, and collaborative learning processes, not a spray-and-pray approach.

An example of navel-gazing equity is when staff members complete training around bias, privilege, and identity, but never take that work into any other domain of the school. How do bias and privilege show up in our academic counseling systems, disciplinary procedures, grading, and other areas? Transformation requires investment in personal and interpersonal development, awareness and creation of shared cultural practices, and the redesign of inequitable systems-all at the same time. It is easy to spot navel-gazing equity when a group of staff members participate in bias training and then proceed to engage in instructional and leadership planning in a business-as-usual fashion without applying the personal work aimed to transform the system.

6. Structural Equity

Structural equity is the converse of navel-gazing equity. Many eager educators are so ready to radically change their systems that they make the biggest shift they can to disrupt an inequitable system-for example, exchanging the use of suspensions for restorative justice. There is clear research that suspensions can cause great harm to students, 3 and making systematic shifts to counteract those effects is a courageous move. However, if you make a seismic shift without recognizing the political, social, and cultural impact of the change, then that change is doomed to fail. Ask yourself: Does our staff understand and agree with this new approach? Are we well-grounded in both the theory and the practices? What instructional and leadership practices will we need to change to make this more than a cosmetic shift? How much time will we need to invest in starting and reinforcing the shift? How will we need to engage our families in the change process? People don't accept changes simply because they are executed at a structural level. There must be an equal investment in the interpersonal, cultural, and social dimensions for all of the players involved in the process. We set ourselves up to flounder if we fail to align structural changes with the deep learning our teams must do to actualize them.

7. Blanket Equity

Ever heard the phrase, "There's an app for that"? Well, if you want to achieve equitable outcomes, there is apparently a curriculum for that. Students aren't learning at similar levels? Great, this new curriculum will fix that. Students don't feel safe and valued? Great, there is a program for that. While curriculum can be a helpful tool, schools across the country have made sweeping investments in buying new curriculums, hoping that if educators just follow the material, all students will achieve. This trap can cause leaders to become hyper-focused on accountability and implementation. There is no substitute for planning with your students' interests, needs, and identity development in mind. There is no curriculum for considering the specific antiracist practices you are (or are not) engaging in based on the intersections of your own racial, economic, or gender positionality. Whether you opt to use curriculum as a tool or not, our work requires stitching together a quilt with many different textures and features. A blanket will not do.

8. Tokenizing Equity

When one school leader who I worked with mentioned his mostly white staff had hired a new dean of culture, my racial antennae went up. I was worried that the school had fallen into a trope that can emerge from the mental model of the Great White Hope leader: "I know everything about leadership and instruction, but culture, climate, and the behavior of our students?

We'll leave that to you." The school appoints one of the few people of color on staff, often a Black or brown person, into the "culture" role. This may be the security guard, the parent liaison, or the teacher who is given the "difficult" class. These cultural leadership roles are extremely important positions, but when a school's staff is predominantly white and the few leaders of color have to play these roles, a dangerous, implicit message is sent: "You are responsible for dealing with 'these' students." The roots of racism run deep.

Tokenizing equity can also look like asking a staff member of color to take on the equity initiative because we assume it is personally important to them. "I know how much equity work means to you. You've helped us realize a lot of our missteps, so I am wondering if you'd be willing to lead our equity task force." We've heard this type of refrain too many times, and it does nothing but deplete our colleagues' internal resources, reinforce racism and oppression, create Lone Rangers, and leave educators who have racial privilege with little responsibility to change.

9. Superficial Equity

Superficial equity essentially amounts to grasping any equity-centered practice with little understanding of its origins, its purpose, and how to engage in it with depth and authenticity. One team we worked with, for example, decided to "do" culturally responsive teaching (CRT). CRT isn't something to "do"; you cannot and should not attempt to engage in culturally responsive teaching or any practice without understanding its history, building deep knowledge of its meaning, and practicing the work on your own. In this particular school, CRT was reduced to practices on an observation checklist, which created a superficial attempt to move toward equity. In another school, educators developed a vision for an equitable, community-based school that served 94 percent Black students, but led the school with a 90 percent white staff. It is nearly impossible to demonstrate to families, students, and staff that your pledge is authentic when your behavior is anti-Black and demonstrates a lack of understanding of what you are committing to doing.

10. Boomerang Equity

Boomerang equity may be one of the hardest traps of all to disrupt. It feeds itself back to the econometric, test-driven education frame we seek to dismantle. Many organizations and schools may actually arrive at a deep understanding of why they are facing equity challenges. However, boomerang equity happens when we move from a deep understanding of our challenge (increased suspensions for Latinx students) to immediately brainstorming solutions that mirror everything we've ever tried before. "Our Latinx students are being suspended because they aren't engaged. To help them get engaged, we must increase their confidence in school and the support we offer." And then it boomerangs to: "Let's pull them out for intervention. This way, we can help them read more. We will assess them every six weeks and by the end of the year, we should see less suspensions and higher achievement on the state exam." In this example, we've gone from promising analysis to reactive decisions, leaving the team who did such thoughtful work back where they started. We have leapfrogged from problem to solution without taking time to reimagine our approaches.

Avoiding the Traps

The dominant narrative about what schools are and how they should treat students-especially those of color-has many school leaders stuck in a painful cycle of traps and tropes. Our sense of urgency gets in the way of understanding complexity, and it feels too hard to disrupt the current state of things. We ingest such a constant prescription of how to create equitable change that we sometimes miss the forest for the trees.

But if leaders are aware of the equity traps and tropes, they can see the ways in which the system has set us up for false starts. Our intentions may be spot-on, but if we aren't aware of the moves we are making, we are liable to reinforce the system we seek to dismantle. There are no shortcuts when it comes to leading for equity. If we hope to transform our institutions into vibrant spaces of learning for every student, we must revisit the fundamental purpose of education and commit to a long-term change process.

Equity Traps at a Glance

Description

Doing Equity

Treating equity as series of tools, strategies, and compliance tasks versus a whole-person, whole-system change process linked to culture, identity, and healing.

Siloing Equity

Locating equity work in a separate and siloed policy, team, or body.

The Equity Warrior

Nesting equity with a single champion and holder of the vision.

Spray and Pray Equity

Engaging "equity experts" to drop in for a training with no ongoing plan for learning or capacity building.

Navel-Gazing Equity

Keeping the equity work at the level of self-reflection and failing to penetrate the instructional core and school systems and structures (such as instructional planning, student tracking).

Structural Equity

Redesigning systems and structures (such as master schedule) without investing in the deeper personal, interpersonal, and cultural shifts.

Blanket EquityTraps and Tropes

Investing in a program or curriculum, rather than building the capacity of your people to address equity challenges as complex and ongoing places of inquiry.

Tokenizing Equity

Asking leaders of color to hold, drive, and symbolically represent equity without providing support and resources, nor engaging the entire staff in the work.

Superficial Equity

Failing to take time to build equity-centered knowledge and fluency, leading to behavioral shifts without understanding deeper meaning or historical context.

Boomerang Equity

Investing time and resources to understand your equity challenges, but reverting back to recycled, status quo solutions.

Note: This article is based on a chapter of Street Data: A Next Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation (Corwin, 2021) by Shane Safir and Jamila Dugan. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications, Inc.

Reflect & Discuss

➛ Which equity traps and tropes sound or feel familiar to you?

➛ How can you and your colleagues become more aware of equity traps and tropes?

➛ What might be the converse of the traps or tropes you identified?

End Notes

1 Our definition of equity is adapted and amended from definitions offered by Promise54, National Equity Project, and the work of many researchers in this field.

2 Sleeter, C. E. (1992). Restructuring schools for multicultural education. Journal of Teacher Education, 43(2), 141-148.

3 Losen, D. J., & Gillespie, J. (2012). Opportunities suspended: The disparate impact of disciplinary exclusion from school. Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles.

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How shortcuts and default practices can get in the way of meaningful school equity efforts.

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Kahoot on LGBTQ history

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LGBTQIA+ history_2024 - Details - Kahoot!

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

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Identify LGBTQ women who took the lead

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LGBTQ+ Women Who Took the Lead - Details - Kahoot!

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

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This is a short kahoot (16questions) about different celebrities and their sexualities. Enjoy!

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Lgbtq+ celebrities🏳️‍🌈 - Details - Kahoot!

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

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Learn what the different pride flags mean!

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!

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Learn inclusive LGBTQIA+ Community terms

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Learn inclusive LGBTQIA+ Community terms

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In this Kahoot, we will review outdated terms and learn correct terms that are inclusive and empowering for our LGBTQIA+ Community.

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn - any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!