Report on “Unequal Lessons” and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Educational Inequality and the SDGs

A new book by Dr. Alexandra Freidus, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at the Neag School of Education, provides a critical analysis of school diversity and educational inequality in New York City. The book, titled “Unequal Lessons: School Diversity and Educational Inequality in New York City,” examines the potential and limitations of school diversity as a mechanism for achieving educational justice. This research directly addresses several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering vital insights for policymakers and educators working to advance:

• SDG 4: Quality Education, by investigating the conditions necessary for inclusive and equitable learning environments.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, by focusing explicitly on racial and socioeconomic disparities within the education system.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by exploring how educational policies and school systems can be reformed to become more just, effective, and inclusive.

Dr. Freidus’s work, supported by honors such as a Spencer Foundation Racial Equity Research Grant, utilizes her extensive background in urban education to explore how community dynamics and policy implementation shape the core mission of schools.

Research Focus and Methodology

Origins in Practice and Commitment to SDG 4

The inspiration for the book stems from Dr. Freidus’s experiences as a teacher two decades ago in a highly diverse school. The central challenge of creating an equitable classroom for students from varied backgrounds motivated a 12-year research journey. This long-term commitment to understanding and improving educational practice aligns with the core objective of SDG 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Research Methodology: A Community-Centered Approach

The research for “Unequal Lessons” was conducted through a multi-faceted qualitative approach designed to capture the perspectives of all stakeholders, a practice essential for building the strong and inclusive institutions envisioned in SDG 16. The methodology included:

• Attending community town halls and public meetings to understand stakeholder perspectives on school diversity.
• Conducting a year-long ethnographic study, alternating between two schools to observe interactions among students and teachers.
• Establishing a research partnership with Teens Take Charge, a student-led community organizing group, to understand student experiences with segregation and their advocacy work.
• Utilizing participant observation, interviews, and analysis of public archives to build a comprehensive picture of the issues.

Key Findings: The Complexities of Diversity and Inequality

School Diversity and the Challenge of SDG 10

A primary finding of the book is that school diversification, on its own, is insufficient to achieve racial justice or meaningfully contribute to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The research reveals that schools, operating within a broader society that privileges whiteness, often unintentionally reproduce and even exacerbate existing inequalities. This occurs even as they become more racially and socioeconomically diverse.

Manifestations of Systemic Inequality

The study identifies several ways in which systemic inequalities manifest within diversifying schools, undermining the goal of SDG 4 (Quality Education) for all students. These include:

• Disproportionate Accommodations: Schools often make significant accommodations to attract and retain white families, which can sideline the needs of other student populations.
• Disciplinary Disparities: The research highlights dramatic differences in how students of color are disciplined compared to their white peers.
• Academic Tracking: A strong correlation was observed between race and placement in advanced academic tracks, such as honors and AP courses, perpetuating educational segregation within integrated schools.

Historical Context and its Impact on Justice

The report underscores the importance of understanding the history of desegregation. The legacy of decisions like Brown v. Board of Education, which often framed integration as a means for Black students to access “white resources,” continues to shape modern dynamics. This historical context helps explain why diversification efforts often fail to dismantle the underlying structures of racial injustice, a core target of SDG 16.

Implications for Policy and Practice to Advance the SDGs

A Call to Action for Stakeholders

“Unequal Lessons” concludes with a call for stakeholders to move beyond simplistic debates and focus on achieving tangible goals related to racial justice. To make meaningful progress on SDG 4, SDG 10, and SDG 16, the book suggests the following actions:

1. For Educators: To conduct critical self-examinations of their school and classroom systems to identify and address how individual actions and institutional structures impact students of different racial backgrounds.
2. For Families: To adopt a broader perspective when choosing schools, recognizing that the well-being and equitable treatment of all students in a community ultimately affects their own children and contributes to more inclusive communities (SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities).
3. For Policymakers and Community Members: To first define clear, long-term goals for achieving racial justice and then assess whether strategies like school diversification serve that larger purpose of restructuring societal inequality.

The ultimate message is a call for a more profound and strategic approach to educational reform, one that prioritizes the dismantling of systemic inequality to ensure that every child receives the just and equitable education they deserve.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article’s central theme is educational inequality, school diversity, and the pursuit of educational justice in New York City schools. It directly addresses the need for inclusive and equitable quality education, as highlighted by Alexandra Freidus’s research on how to ensure “every kid gets the schooling they deserve.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The research detailed in the article focuses on “racial inequality in diversifying schools” and the systemic issues that perpetuate it. It examines disparities based on race and socioeconomic status, such as “dramatic differences in school discipline” and “academic tracks correlated to race,” which are core concerns of SDG 10.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article discusses the role of schools as institutions and how they can either reproduce societal inequalities or advance justice. Freidus’s work with community groups like “Teens Take Charge” and her focus on how stakeholders can “advance racial justice” and restructure the “racial order” connect directly to building just and inclusive institutions.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 4: Quality Education

1. Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable…
   • The article’s focus on a “spatially, ethnically, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse group of students” and the challenges of “educational inequality” directly aligns with this target. Freidus’s research investigates the failure to provide equal access and opportunities, particularly for non-white students, as seen in the discussion on segregation and unequal resources.
2. Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including…appreciation of cultural diversity…
   • Freidus’s work explores the “potential and limits of school diversity” and encourages educators and families to understand the role schools play in “racial inequality.” This involves fostering an appreciation for diversity and promoting racial justice, which are key components of the knowledge and skills mentioned in this target.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

1. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…race, ethnicity…or other status.
   • The article highlights Freidus’s partnership with “Teens Take Charge, which is a student community organizing group that was working on school segregation in New York City.” This collaboration is a direct example of empowering young people to participate in policy conversations and advocate for their own inclusion and rights, challenging the systemic inequalities they face.
2. Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory…policies and practices…
   • The article explicitly points to inequalities of outcome resulting from school practices. It mentions “dramatic differences in school discipline” and “academic tracks correlated to race, in terms of which kids get placed in honors and AP courses and which don’t.” Freidus’s research aims to identify and address these practices to ensure more equal outcomes.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.
   • Freidus’s research methodology involved “attending community town halls and public meetings” and partnering with student groups to “understand who was involved in the conversation around school diversity…[and] their differing perspectives.” This approach emphasizes the importance of including community and student voices in policy-making, reflecting the core principle of this target.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

For Target 4.5 and 10.3 (Equal Access and Outcomes)

• Racial composition of advanced academic tracks: The article implies this indicator by stating that there are “academic tracks correlated to race, in terms of which kids get placed in honors and AP courses and which don’t.” Measuring the demographic breakdown of these courses would indicate progress toward equal opportunity.
• Disparities in school disciplinary actions: The text points to “dramatic differences in school discipline, such as how white kids are treated compared to other kids.” An indicator would be the rate of disciplinary actions (e.g., suspensions) disaggregated by race and ethnicity.
• Level of school segregation: The article mentions that the research was prompted by a “report from the UCLA Center for Civil Rights” about “segregation in New York City public schools.” The racial and socioeconomic composition of schools serves as a direct indicator of segregation and diversity.

For Target 16.7 (Participatory Decision-Making)

• Level of student and community engagement in school policy: The article implies this through its description of Freidus’s work attending “community town halls” and partnering with the student group “Teens Take Charge.” An indicator could be the number of community meetings held or the degree to which student and parent feedback is incorporated into district integration plans.

Summary of Findings

Source: today.uconn.edu