Giving Compass' Take:

• This story from New Profit discusses a few key takeaways from the SXSW EDU 2019 panel on equity and anti-racism in education.

• How can philanthropy ensure we shift our focus to anti-racism in the classroom?

• Learn about other advancements in education discussed at SXSW EDU 2019.

What will it take to dismantle an inherently racist education system that holds our students back? This was the question that New Profit Partner and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Lead Marco Davis discussed with three other leaders at SXSW EDU 2019 on a panel titled “From Equity to Anti-Racism in Education.”

Here are some key takeaways from the conversation on how we can shift our focus from equity to anti-racism in education:

  • It is possible to challenge existing models of standards and evaluation, which students of color and low-income students sometimes do not meet, because they may be based on flawed information or a biased frame of what is important.
  • Rather than continuing to rely on the same conventional wisdom that is embraced by existing, credentialed, and often not diverse experts—or hoping that these experts will discover and offer new ways of thinking and approaches that will reduce disparities and close provision gaps—we need new experts.
  • We must focus on diversifying the voices in the rooms making decisions about our education system, the leaders in the field, and teachers in the classroom to ensure that the people shaping our education system reflect the students being served by the education system.
  • Educators must be deliberate in ensuring that students of color understand their value and self-worth.

Read the full article about SXSW EDU 2019 at New Profit.