It is hard to know exactly what we mean when we say that we are all equal.
Perhaps it is difficult because on the one hand we believe in equality, but on the other hand we see so much inequality. There are people in our country and neighborhoods who just don't seem to get a fair chance in life. Some are born in abject poverty that is not of their own making and is inescapable. Others have physical or mental limitations, while some seem to be endowed with physical or mental abilities beyond what they deserve.We were trying to sort this out in a class of future teachers. These students were telling me how important it will be to them as teachers to treat students equally. Teachers should be fair. Many students offered examples of inequities in classrooms and did not want to repeat mistakes they had seen.
The students were quick to notice that treating all students exactly the same is not fair. Students have individual needs and abilities that require individual attention. I asked if this was an admission that we are not all really equal. The students weren't sure. I also asked how, in the face of all the evidence, we can believe that we are all created equal.
One student said she believes we are all equal because that is what her religion teaches. She said that it is in the Bible somewhere that "all men are created equal."
"I think I remember that passage," I said. ". . . All men are created equal . . .
andT are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights."
"That's the one."
"I am quoting Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, not the Bible. The other famous passage that uses these words is in the first paragraph of Lincoln's Address at Gettysburg when he says that our country is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
"Well it sounds like it should be in the Bible, and I still believe it is part of my religion."
I think my student makes a good point. If believing people are equal is part of our deepest held religious beliefs, our country, if not our neighborhoods, will be a better place to live. Perhaps Jefferson and Lincoln are authors of secular scripture that, if believed, would make our country a place where all of us, including teachers are fair.
My student also made herself an assignment. "Why don't you come discuss the issue with me for a few minutes and report to the rest of the class about what we discover in the Bible about equality." (I had a passage from a book I wanted to show her and couldn't cite it from memory in class.)
"Will I get extra credit?"
"Let's do the work first."
I'm not quite sure what the Bible "proves" about human equality. Out of context, passages can be confusing. "The way of the Lord is not equal" (Ezekiel 18:25 and 29). Despite this confusion, a book that is part of our cultural DNA is a good place to look for guidance.
When she dropped by my office I told her that I really didn't want to put her on the spot in the class, but that her comment about our religious belief in equality and her reference to the Bible had given me something to think about. I also told her that her comment sent me back to a book I was reading and shared a passage with her from John Dominic Crossan.
"Lottery is what egalitarianism looks like in practice. If all members of some group are eligible for office, then the only fair human way to decide is by lot, leaving the choice up to God. That was how Saul, the first Jewish king, was elected from `all the tribes of Israel,' according to 1 Samuel 10:21. And that was how the early Christians chose a replacement for the traitor apostle Judas from among `the men who have accompanied us' since the beginning, according to Acts of the Apostles 1:21-26."
I guess that if we really believed in equality in our country, there would be no need for a presidential campaign. We could select our president by lottery from a long list of constitutionally qualified candidates who are all created equal. This practice would eliminate special interest politics and questionable campaign finance tactics.
My student was quick. "If I really believe in equality in my classroom, then every student will have an equal chance to become class president, or reading group leader, or teacher's helper."
"And every student will have an equal chance to learn." What we are talking about is equality of opportunity in our classrooms.
Roger G. Baker is professor of English/education at Snow College. Comments or questions about "Learning Matters" may be addressed to Dr. Roger Baker, English Department, Snow College, Ephraim, UT 84627. E-mail roger.baker@snow.edu.