After reading the front-page article about the “equity” plans for the Summit School District, I am concerned about the details that will be implemented.

The plan and the definition of equity was full of buzzwords and pseudo-intellectual terminology. In fact, there are actually websites that will construct sentences like that at random, like “uniquely situate heteronormative semantics.” But all kidding aside, my concern is that equity is now the nicer-sounding name for critical race theory, which has been discredited nationally.

The definition includes phrases like “narrowing the gaps between the highest- and lowest-performing students” and something about “predictability and disproportionality … (between) highest and lowest achievement categories.” Why not say: Focus on raising the performance of lower performance students? You can reduce the gap by taking away all advanced placement courses as schools have done elsewhere. Mission accomplished. No gaps for you. Will we be told how this stuff is going to be implemented?

Next, they say we need to “disrupt inequities,” make “time for equity work,” “leverage existing work,” remove “barriers,” develop “sustainable systems” and emphasize “reflecting on their own identities.” I have no clue what all that means, but I definitely would like to see what specific means they will use to accomplish these things.

Again, the devil is in the details. They also want to “make sure actions meet intentions.” I would add: Make sure outcomes and unintended consequences are being evaluated as they implement the actions that flow from the intentions. I surely hope they won’t “disrupt” math and science, true history and teaching the Constitution (correctly) in order to make time to leverage their equity work so as to remove barriers and develop their sustainable identity reflections.