Unmasking Inequities
An Equity-Centered Policy Approach to Education in Response to the Pandemic
January 2021
The pandemic has revealed and exacerbated inequities
Minnesota often ranks highly in high school graduation rates at the national level, but this is only true for white students. Our state has long been home to the worst racial disparities in education, health, housing and economic outcomes in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified and intensified many of these disparities.
Educators crafted policy recommendations and are demanding that decision-makers prioritize educational equity
The conditions of the pandemic call for a new, radically equity-focused approach to learning environments, whether students are learning online or in-person. We call on school districts, state legislators, and teachers’ unions to:
- Relentlessly prioritize school resources for those who need it most
- Provide anti-racist social-emotional learning and mental health support to students most impacted
- Prioritize teacher diversity during budget cuts by protecting teachers of color from layoffs and investing in critical teacher preparation programs that lead to an increase in teacher diversity
About the Teacher Action Team
In the fall of 2020, ten educators came together to craft an education policy platform that urgently addresses the widening academic opportunity gaps that students of color face in Minnesota. The team narrowed their ideas and anchored their recommendations in several shared values. At the forefront is equity which calls for making difficult budget decisions in our school districts to better serve students of color and those from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, and English language learners. The Teacher Action Team cohort works to ensure that their policy recommendations not only lead to a positive impact on students, but also that they are actionable, and excite a wide base of teachers.
Mariam Adam English Language Teacher, Anne Sullivan Community School
Pauline Cotton Special Education Teacher, Harrison High School
Kelly Caruth Early Childhood Special Education Teacher, St. Paul Public Schools
Dawna Diamon Special Education Teacher, MPS Metro Education Services
Justin Goldstein Math Teacher, North Community High School
Bernie Herberholt Autism Spectrum Disorder Teacher, Battle Creek Elementary
Thressa Johnson Pre-school Lead Teacher, Joyce Pre-school
Alexis Mann Special Education Teacher, Harrison High School
Meghan O’Donnell English Language Development teacher, Anne Sullivan Community School
Stephanie Shockley English Language Teacher and Differentiation Specialist, Justice Page Middle School