Have you ever looked at a picture and thought you understood it, only to have someone else see something you completely missed?
About two years ago, a dual-picture image toured the Internet illustrating the difference between equality and equity. In one picture, it showed three children, each standing on a box trying to look over the outfield fence and watch a baseball game. The tall child stood well above the fence and could see; the medium child’s head was also above the fence so she could see; but the small child still couldn’t see over the fence. This depicts equality – each child receives one box.
The second picture was similar, except the tall child had no box and still could see over the fence; the medium child still had one box and could see over the fence; and the small child now stood on a stack of two boxes so he could see over the fence. This depicts equity – each child receives what is needed to see over the fence.
The image made sense to me and offered a satisfactory demonstration of the difference between equality and equity.
Some weeks after being introduced to this image, I asked a friend of mine about it. This friend works for a group that advocates for racial equity. My friend huffed and said, “I hate that picture!”
“Tell me more,” I said.
“These people are ‘helped’ but they’re still left on the outside, looking in. I would prefer they set aside the boxes, turned to one another, and said, ‘Hi, my name is Thom. What’s yours?’”
As we continued to talk, we surfaced several additional observations and questions. When I left the conversation I thought how our experience shapes our perspective, how I would not have seen the other messages in the pictures without talking with my friend, and how there’s likely more to see that neither of us had yet perceived.
I left the conversation, forgiving myself for the arrogance of unthinkingly assuming I understood fully and committing myself to continually seek deeper understanding.
Quote
The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. Carl Rogers
Web
Here is a post in which a teacher discusses her struggle and approach to equity in the classroom. It also includes the picture described above (read post).
The second picture was similar, except the tall child had no box and still could see over the fence; the medium child still had one box and could see over the fence; and the small child now stood on a stack of two boxes so he could see over the fence. This depicts equity – each child receives what is needed to see over the fence.
The image made sense to me and offered a satisfactory demonstration of the difference between equality and equity.
Some weeks after being introduced to this image, I asked a friend of mine about it. This friend works for a group that advocates for racial equity. My friend huffed and said, “I hate that picture!”
“Tell me more,” I said.
“These people are ‘helped’ but they’re still left on the outside, looking in. I would prefer they set aside the boxes, turned to one another, and said, ‘Hi, my name is Thom. What’s yours?’”
As we continued to talk, we surfaced several additional observations and questions. When I left the conversation I thought how our experience shapes our perspective, how I would not have seen the other messages in the pictures without talking with my friend, and how there’s likely more to see that neither of us had yet perceived.
I left the conversation, forgiving myself for the arrogance of unthinkingly assuming I understood fully and committing myself to continually seek deeper understanding.
Quote
The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. Carl Rogers
Web
Here is a post in which a teacher discusses her struggle and approach to equity in the classroom. It also includes the picture described above (read post).
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