Social Equity Matters in Schools by Oyinkansola

Social Equity Matters in Schools by Oyinkansola - November 2019 Scholarship Essay

Students and teachers can agree on one thing: they want to see their school grow for the better. However, collaborations to assist this change are, for the most part, segregated. Students have their clubs, and teachers have their meetings. If both sides were to come together, there would be a lot of overlap with their goals. As a founder of the Social Equity Leadership Team (SELT), I helped to start a space where equity could be brought to our school among students and teachers.
SELT works to promote equity by hosting a team of teachers and students that work together to share their experiences and, through conversations, mold our discussions into presentations where we can share our ideas on equity in front of the entire faculty. We’ve done presentations on the equitable treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in school, the lack of color in Honors and AP classes, mental health, and the grade shaming culture.
It takes a great amount of confidence to present a topic you wholeheartedly believe in. My first presentation was in front of teachers and administration, many of whom I interacted with on a daily basis, so I had to muster up a great deal of courage. One of my greatest high school experiences was leading that presentation on teacher’s interactions with students. Standing up in front of a hundred educators and sharing a presentation that was dear to my heart was exhilarating. I felt like my voice was being heard. I was speaking for the whole student body, relaying a shared sentiment among students to teachers in a positive way.
We started SELT as a way to promote equity at DSA, but it has evolved into much more. We have gone on to lead more faculty discussions and are currently looking for a way to envelope parents into our club. As I leave high school next year, I am confident that students will continue to partner with teachers to promote change in our schools. If everyone works together instead of on a separate platform, the rate of success will be expedited.