For many years I believed that fairness was all about everyone getting the same thing. Tommy was allowed to sit on a wobble stool so Joe could sit on one too; Andrea needed a brain break every 5 minutes so everyone else had one too! But as I delved deeper into the needs of my students and the impact my decisions had on all the children, I realised that what was needed and best for one, was not necessarily what was needed or best for everyone. In addition, trying to give everyone the same thing i.e., making it “fair”, could actually create more havoc! I found the same in parenting. Despite both being birthed by me- my kids are different and experience life differently and so I didn’t (and couldn’t) parent them the same way.
Not long into my Special Education journey I came across the image above. It’s a beautiful, clear illustration of the difference between the words equity and equality. It demonstrates that equality is not always the most effective way of creating inclusion for everyone. Giving everyone the same thing and making it “fair” is not going to allow everyone access to what they want to do in life and thereby creating exclusion and a society where barriers are not broken down or overcome.
So why not just remove the fence? Why not take away the barriers that stand in the way of everyone achieving their goals and having a full life? That would be ideal, and while history shows there has been heaps of progress in working towards an inclusive society, unfortunately, we still have a long way to go in this regard. I am the first to say- Yes! Everyone should be able to get what they need and be able to pursue the life they want to live and to be positive, effective, active contributors to society! However, especially in the disability sphere, there are so many areas in which society both consciously and sub-consciously puts up barriers for people who don’t quite “fit” or can’t see over the fence. These barriers could be physical, attitudinal, intellectual, systemic.
So, what is the answer?
One of the general principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons (2006) state “equality of opportunity” (emphasis mine). This means that it is the opportunity that needs to be equal, not necessarily the way in which that opportunity is accessed. In addition to this, it is my belief that everyone needs to be taught why access to an opportunity to an activity is different for one person or another. Education is key to breaking down some of the barriers that exist and creating a more accepting environment. For example, when I have students or participants that need a sensory intervention in order for them to participate fully in an activity I firstly teach the young person how to use the item or strategy in order to give them what we have identified as their need and then talk to the other stakeholders (such as other children, parents or carers) as to why it is needed and how it will benefit everyone so that can all participate effectively according to their own identified needs and goals.
It all sounds a little complicated and time consuming- and it can be- yet the time and effort to put this initially can have so many long-term benefits for all. So next time you hear the words “that’s not fair” think about whether or not it needs to be equal or if it’s meeting an unmet need.
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