Equality, equity and ensuring a fair education for all

Recent news articles have discussed the Las Cruces school board’s recently passed “equity” policy. Yet many confuse “equity” with “equality.”

According to the New Mexico Public Education Department’s “Culturally and Linguistically Responsive” handbook, “There is a common misconception that equity and equality mean the same thing … (T)he truth is they do not (and) cannot … Equality has become synonymous with ‘leveling the playing field.’ On the other hand, advocating for equity would mean recognizing that some schools … need more resources.”