The RenewaNation Review 2021 Volume 13 Issue 1 | Page 23

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philosophy called equity has become a dominant ideology in public education and is beginning to make inroads in some churches and Christian schools . Due to its recent explosion and significant impact on education , Christians need to understand what equity is and how to respond . The Bible calls believers to test everything and hold fast to what is good , so this article will examine some of the central tenants of equity according to Scripture ( 1 Thess . 5:21 ).
WHAT IS EQUITY ? Equity is a term used to address fairness in education . It is an educational approach that views students academically through the lens of skin color , sexual orientation , gender identity , disability , and religion . There are many variations , but a common definition in public education is : “ Equity means a student ’ s identity — their race , ethnicity , gender , sexual orientation , class , immigration status , religion and / or disability — does not predict their success . All students are provided the tools , resources , and support they need to achieve their personal best .”
The underlying belief of those advocating for equity is that the current state of public education is advantageous for white , heterosexual , and Christian students and is systemically unfair for minority races , transgender , homosexual , and Islamic students . Therefore , systemic changes must occur to level the playing field for all students .
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT EQUITY ? Equity is a form of justice . To understand equity , we must understand biblical justice . Psalm 89:14 says , “ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne .” God wants both righteousness and justice . Righteousness is the moral standard of right and wrong to which God holds humans accountable based on His divine standard . Justice is the fair and impartial application of God ’ s moral law in society .
The Hebrew word for equity means “ straight ” or “ level .” The Bible uses the image of scales that are level and straight to communicate the idea of justice both in the sense of fairness ( a level playing field ) and uprightness ( a straight standard ). God deals with us fairly and according to a standard . God instructs us to deal with each other in the same way , without favoritism or partiality . Applied to education , a biblical view of equity would mean equal , fair , and impartial treatment for everyone according to God ’ s law .
A BIBLICAL VIEW OF EQUITY
BIBLICAL PASSAGE
“ You have established equity ; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob ” ( Ps . 99:4 ).
“ The Lord shall judge the people with equity ” ( Ps . 98:9 ).
“ With righteousness shall He judge the poor , and reprove with equity ” ( Isa . 11:3-4 ).
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE
Equity is God ’ s idea . He designed it , so He gets to define it .
God is passionate about equity and fairness .
Equity is based on God ’ s moral standard of righteousness . It ’ s the impartial application of God ’ s moral law .
PUBLIC SCHOOL EQUITY IS A SECULAR VIEW OF MORALITY
Equity sounds good on the surface , but it takes a biblical idea , hollows it out , and redefines it . The version of equity taught in public schools maintains the concept of fairness but redefines what is fair according to human standards rather than God ’ s law .
The million-dollar question is this : How do we define what is fair or unfair ? Public schools determine fairness by comparing students from one group with students from another group — they call this student identity . Consider an example . Suppose one group , such as black students , have a higher rate of behavior problems in a school . In that case , the equitable response is to classify their actions as appropriate for black culture , utilize restorative practices such as a listening session , and ensure that the suspension rate for black children is the same as those of white children . The belief is that when all groups of students have the same outcomes , such as disciplinary action , education will be fair , and children will have what they need to succeed academically . Individual responsibility and personal accountability are replaced with group association .
It is essential to recognize that equity is an ideology that has set aside classic liberal education ideals in favor of a new progressive creed . This creed , often known as “ critical race theory ,” diminishes individual identity in favor of group identities based on gender , race , sexuality , and religion . It
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