As teachers in the District of Columbia with the Teach for America corps, we are faced with questions of educational inequity every day. It is easy to see the gaps in justice when we greet our students each morning—some did not get a good night’s sleep as they have no pillow, while others did not have an opportunity to complete their homework as they have obligations after school to help their parents pay for groceries, care for siblings, and serve as active contributors to the family. Most did not eat breakfast. While not every student's story is that of overcoming impossible odds, unfortunately many of our students do face considerable adversity. The effects of this inequality are manifested in the excruciatingly real disparity in educational outcomes along socioeconomic lines. In light of these realities, an excellent education can be the great provider of justice and of the opportunity to succeed.
