Equity or equality? | Dr Melissa Derby | The Common Room
4.3 هزار بار بازدید -
2 سال پیش
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What happens when the focus
What happens when the focus of government and institutions shifts from providing equal opportunities to equal outcomes? Is attempting to bring about equal outcomes a good idea – or even possible? Dr Melissa Derby tests this idea against evidence to see if what we think might be a good idea is actually a good idea in practice.
Script:
Many of us will have seen the cartoon illustrating the differences between equality and equity.
The boxes used to depict equality are all the same height, but these don’t take into consideration the varying heights of the people using the boxes. So, even though they each have an equal-sized box, the shortest person cannot see over the fence, and consequently misses out, which isn’t fair. In the case of equity, however, each person is given the box they need in order to be able to see over the fence and enjoy the rugby game. In other words, everyone’s outcome is the same.
Equality can be defined generally as the state of being equal, or the same, especially regarding the status, rights, or opportunities someone has. Equity is a little harder to define, but where equality means everyone is treated the same, regardless of need or any other individual differences, equity means everyone is provided with what they need to succeed.
But what happens when the focus shifts from equal opportunities to equal outcomes?
Is attempting to bring about equal outcomes a good idea – or even possible?
Well, let’s test it against evidence to see if what we think might be a good idea is actually a good idea in practice.
Let me give you an example. I decide I want to be as good a tennis player as Serena Williams. Now, in order to be a good tennis player, a multitude of different factors have to come together to produce a particular result, and try as I might, I simply don’t have the right combination of skill, dedication, resources, physique, and perseverance, among other things, that she has. So what’s the only way to make me as good as Serena Williams? Well, it’s to bring her down to my level. This is not a good idea, although it’s only a game of tennis. What happens, though, when the idea of equal outcomes makes its way into areas like education, which is exactly what we are seeing?
As I illustrated with my impossible tennis dream, there are many different factors that lead to the outcomes people experience. With so many variables at play, it is impossible that there could ever be equal outcomes for individuals or different groups of people. Siblings, for example, have many things in common, such as shared DNA, common values that they are raised with, and access to similar or the same opportunities. And yet, more often than not, they don’t experience equal outcomes. So, if equal outcomes don’t occur between siblings, where a number of common factors exist, how can we bring about equal outcomes across society when different variables are present? Like I said, it’s impossible.
For the full script visit: https://commonroomnz.com/
https://commonroomnz.com/
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Script:
Many of us will have seen the cartoon illustrating the differences between equality and equity.
The boxes used to depict equality are all the same height, but these don’t take into consideration the varying heights of the people using the boxes. So, even though they each have an equal-sized box, the shortest person cannot see over the fence, and consequently misses out, which isn’t fair. In the case of equity, however, each person is given the box they need in order to be able to see over the fence and enjoy the rugby game. In other words, everyone’s outcome is the same.
Equality can be defined generally as the state of being equal, or the same, especially regarding the status, rights, or opportunities someone has. Equity is a little harder to define, but where equality means everyone is treated the same, regardless of need or any other individual differences, equity means everyone is provided with what they need to succeed.
But what happens when the focus shifts from equal opportunities to equal outcomes?
Is attempting to bring about equal outcomes a good idea – or even possible?
Well, let’s test it against evidence to see if what we think might be a good idea is actually a good idea in practice.
Let me give you an example. I decide I want to be as good a tennis player as Serena Williams. Now, in order to be a good tennis player, a multitude of different factors have to come together to produce a particular result, and try as I might, I simply don’t have the right combination of skill, dedication, resources, physique, and perseverance, among other things, that she has. So what’s the only way to make me as good as Serena Williams? Well, it’s to bring her down to my level. This is not a good idea, although it’s only a game of tennis. What happens, though, when the idea of equal outcomes makes its way into areas like education, which is exactly what we are seeing?
As I illustrated with my impossible tennis dream, there are many different factors that lead to the outcomes people experience. With so many variables at play, it is impossible that there could ever be equal outcomes for individuals or different groups of people. Siblings, for example, have many things in common, such as shared DNA, common values that they are raised with, and access to similar or the same opportunities. And yet, more often than not, they don’t experience equal outcomes. So, if equal outcomes don’t occur between siblings, where a number of common factors exist, how can we bring about equal outcomes across society when different variables are present? Like I said, it’s impossible.
For the full script visit: https://commonroomnz.com/
https://commonroomnz.com/
Follow The Common Room:
Facebook: CommonRoomNZ
Instagram: thecommonroomnz
TikTok: thecommonroomnz
2 سال پیش
در تاریخ 1401/06/13 منتشر شده
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