Opinion: The Fight for Equity and Justice in Georgia’s Education Will Need a United Approach
Aireane Montgomery is the president and CEO of Georgia Educators for Equity and Justice, an organization that advocates for, develops, and serves Black Educators. You can contact her at aireane@gaeej.org.

The promises of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives rose in response to the global sensationalism of Black pain, rooted in the historical and systemic apathy toward Black lives. However, these initiatives are now being rapidly dismantled or diluted, particularly in K-12 education, reflecting a troubling disregard for the systemic inequities they were designed to address. This troubling reversal has profound implications for equity and justice in schools and our society. The time has come to reckon with the systemic failures and reimagine how we fight to liberate marginalized communities.

The Illusion of Progress

DEI efforts, while heralded as transformative, often lacked intentionality. The concept of civic education, created during a time when it was illegal for African descendants to learn how to read, exemplifies this systemic exclusion. Designed without Black people in mind, it was profoundly Eurocentric, systematically marginalizing voices that were not of the dominant culture. This exclusionary foundation set the tone for the tremendous inequities that continue to permeate education even after the passage of Civil Rights legislation such as Brown v. Board of Education.

Through interest convergence  –  a phrase popularized by Critical Race Theorist Derrick Bell – we legalized integration, but at the cost of the Black teacher and leader pipeline and the psychological safety Black students experienced from Black educators in neighborhood schools. These historical losses continue to inform the hollow DEI initiatives we see today. 

Many of these initiatives around the recruitment and retention of diverse Black educators have been hollow, guided by data that is Eurocentric in nature and fails to acknowledge the struggles of our ancestors and their relentless fight for justice within the classroom.

“Bipartisan complicity underscores an uncomfortable truth: the political spectrum, as it stands, does not prioritize the liberation of marginalized communities.”

Their success was contingent upon an interest convergence, a concept Bell outlined as “the alignment of marginalized communities’ goals with the self-interests of those in power.” This idea challenges us to reflect on the responsibility of leaders with spheres of influence to be courageous and lead with ethical ambition. As James Baldwin would implore, we must “go for broke,” understanding that the true measure of our actions lies in the legacy we leave for the community and future generations.

For decades, civil rights gains, particularly for Black communities, have hinged on this fragile synchronicity between leaders of the state and oppressed peoples. From the Civil Rights Movement to today’s equity initiatives, progress has often been a means to pacify grassroots movements and preserve the status quo. The result? Gains that are neither permanent nor expansive. In education, this lack of sustainability is stark. Schools serve as microcosms of society, mirroring its inequities. Teachers, mainly Black, culturally responsive, and equity-focused educators, are being systematically underfunded, undermined, and overburdened. The impact of these failures falls disproportionately on the very students DEI initiatives were meant to uplift.

DEI Reversals and Their Consequences for The Education We Deserve

The unraveling of DEI efforts is a symptom of a larger, systemic problem. The backlash against these initiatives is fueled by political partisanship that sees the fight for equity as a threat to entrenched power structures. Bipartisan complicity underscores an uncomfortable truth: the political spectrum, as it stands, does not prioritize the liberation of marginalized communities.

We are left with a fragmented and inequitable educational system as these initiatives falter. Public schools, especially those serving Black and low-income students, remain underfunded. Teacher attrition is highest in schools where culturally responsive pedagogy and descriptively representative teachers are most needed.  According to the Georgia Department of Education’s 2022 Georgia K-12 Teacher & Leader Workforce Report, the average teacher retention rate was 86.3% across districts, with retention rates as low as 65.8% in high-poverty areas. This represents a drop of more than 20 percentage points, highlighting the dire challenges faced by schools in high-poverty areas. Meanwhile, discussions around privatization and public schooling often miss the broader issue: the lack of a systemic commitment to equity, rigor, and justice in every classroom, regardless of its formation. 

True educational reform must begin with a reimagining of our goals. Education should be a human right, not a privilege extended to a select few. It must prioritize criticality, intellectualism, and global citizenship, equipping students to question inequities and advocate for systemic change. Yet, the U.S. educational system has consistently failed to deliver this vision. From its inception, education has been a tool for maintaining social hierarchies, a reality that disproportionately harms Black and low-income students.

We must confront this history with honesty. The curriculum must shift from rote memorization to critical thinking. Students should not merely learn about American exceptionalism but interrogate its myths. The reality is that we are in a global technology race, and the aggregated educational skills of our citizenry are woefully uncompetitive due to rampant undereducation. According to a 2020 analysis by the National Urban League, nearly 31% of Black households lack high-speed home internet access, and 17% do not have a computer. This digital divide disproportionately affects Black students, limiting their access to online learning resources and contributing to educational disparities.

“The fight for equity in education cannot rely on politics alone. While civic education and engagement are essential, it is crucial to acknowledge that the very concept of civic education was never intended to be extended to marginalized communities.”

This failure stems from systemic underfunding, inequitable access, and a lack of intentionality in addressing our education system’s foundational flaws. Education stakeholders and policymakers must equip students to grapple with the socio-economic and racial realities that define our nation and, even more specifically, the state of Georgia. Until we address these foundational inequities, we cannot achieve true reform.

A Call to Action

The fight for equity in education cannot rely on politics alone. While civic education and engagement are essential, it is crucial to acknowledge that the very concept of civic education was never intended to be extended to marginalized communities. The remnants of this exclusion are evident today in districts across urban and rural areas, where systemic inequities persist in access and quality of education. Waiting for political saviors has historically failed marginalized communities. Instead, we must leverage our collective resources to create and sustain DEI initiatives that serve our communities’ needs.

Moreover, we must expand our understanding of equity to include economic justice. The wealth disparities in this country are staggering, with the top 1% controlling the majority of resources while the rest struggle to make ends meet. This economic stratification affects every aspect of education, from funding to access to opportunity. Without addressing the economic underpinnings of educational inequity, we cannot hope to create systemic change.

We Are One

As Frankie Beverly’s timeless anthem reminds us, We Are One. This message is more than a rallying cry; it is a call for unity and collective action. We must recognize our shared humanity and work together to dismantle the systemic barriers that divide us. Whether fighting for equitable funding, advocating for culturally responsive teaching, or challenging the socioeconomic hierarchies advancing perpetuating injustice, our efforts must be unified and unwavering.

The stakes have never been higher. 

The U.S. risks falling behind as the world enters a new industrial revolution fueled by AI and machine learning. Our failure to invest in equitable education has left us with a citizenry unprepared to compete globally. This is not just an educational crisis; it is a national emergency.

We cannot afford to dilute our curriculum or ignore the realities of our past. We cannot continue to let the wealthy elite dictate the terms of equity. We cannot allow ourselves to be divided by partisan politics that prioritizes power over progress. The fight for equity and justice in education is a fight for the soul of our state. Let us come together, not just as educators, activists, and community leaders, but as a people united in the belief that a better future is possible. Let us embody the spirit of We Are One and push forward toward the systemic and institutional change necessary for our collective liberation.


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