Educational Equity in a Global Context

How do we reconcile individual student needs with the demands of school, district, and national education programs? What are school-based professionals to do in situations where it is impossible to prioritize all students equally? A pair of new parents in Hong Kong deliberate which schooling model best fulfils the hopes and dreams they have for their children. An administrator in Germany deliberates whether to accept funding for a hybrid learning program as her staff and students share their conflicting experiences of online learning. From national policy to personal choices, each of these ethical dilemmas engages questions of educational equity.

Educational Equity in a Global Context presents eight case studies designed to guide readers through complex and nuanced conversations about dilemmas of educational equity and ethics around the world. The case studies include conversations on student grading in the Covid-19 pandemic, the risks and rewards of online learning, equitable homework policies and refugee education. Each case is followed by a model conversation among diverse participants based in Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Kenya, Mexico, the UK, and the USA. The participants include scholars, activists, teachers, students, parents, and community leaders from across the political spectrum. Each chapter includes discussion questions and suggestions for further reading. Readers will come away from this collection with the resources and capacities to deliberate about dilemmas of educational ethics in their own contexts and work towards a more equitable future for students around the globe. More case studies and resources can be found at justiceinschools.org.

Meira Levinson is Juliana W. and William Foss Thompson Professor of Education and Society in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USA.

Tatiana Geron is Graduate Fellow in the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University, USA.

Sara O’Brien is Instructional Designer in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USA.

Ellis Reid is PhD Candidate in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USA.