Reclaiming the Narrative: What Educational Equity Really Means ~ 1027

Tim Villegas
What has been and still is a huge buzzword in education right now? Equity. Our guest this week unpacks what it means and what it doesn’t mean. Stick around to learn more.

My name is Tim Villegas from the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, and you are listening to Think Inclusive, a show where with every conversation we try to build bridges between families, educators, and disability justice advocates to create a shared understanding of inclusive education and what inclusion looks like in the real world. You can learn more about who we are and what we do at mcie.org.

Mirko Chardin is Novak Education’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer. Before joining Novak, Mirko was the founding Head of School of the Putnam Avenue Upper School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mirko’s work has involved all areas of school management and student support. His greatest experience and passion revolve around culturally connected teaching and learning, recruiting and retaining educators of color, restorative practice, and school culture. He is also the co-author with Dr. Katie Novak of the best-selling Equity by Design.

Here is what we cover in today’s episode:

• Why equity is a complex issue that requires a holistic approach
• The importance of listening to the voices of students in understanding why school should be for kids and not adults

Before we get into today’s interview, I have some questions for you. Are you feeling disconnected from your loved ones? Do you want to stay in touch without having to be constantly on social media? If so, then Together Letters is a perfect solution for you. Together Letters is a group email newsletter that gathers updates from all of its members and combines them into a single easy-to-read newsletter for everyone. Best of all, Together Letters is free for groups of 10 or less. Sign up today at togetherletters.com and start reconnecting with your favorite people.

And now, my interview with Mirko Chardin.

Tim Villegas
Mirko Chardin, welcome to the Think Inclusive podcast.

Mirko Chardin
Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to have this conversation. I’ve been looking forward to it.

Tim Villegas
So Mirko, I wanted to have you on because I wanted to talk about equity. The word equity can be a politically charged word. For MCIE, the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, we work with districts all around the country. Some of the districts are in states that have specifically called out the word equity and targeted the word as something you cannot talk about. You cannot talk about divisive topics or controversial things. These districts want change, they want to move toward more inclusive practices, they want to implement Universal Design for Learning, and they genuinely want to move forward. But there’s a big barrier there, and that’s the language.

To start us off, how do educational leaders talk around this issue without it being politically divisive?

Mirko Chardin
I think it’s shameful that certain terms in the context of our society have become extremely charged. It’s fascinating because some of the folks who don’t want that term to be utilized also advocate for free speech. But that’s a conversation for another day.

In direct response to your question, part of what we have to do as educators is reclaim the narrative of the term because we’ve found ourselves in a circumstance where individuals are defining and giving definition of the work for us, making claims that we are doing things that we’re not doing, and reframing what equity is supposed to be about.

When I work with districts and school communities, even state agencies, when folks talk about equity, the first thing I recommend is to go through a process that begins with concept stabilization. Starting with concept stabilization means defining what the terms we utilize mean in our own unique context. When we do that, it allows us to reclaim what that term means for us and how it applies to our work.

I often share the definition coined by Dr. Christopher Emdin:
Equity is hearing someone’s voice and what they need and providing them with that.

I love how simplistic, authentic, and direct that definition is. It cuts to the core of what equity is or could be as we think about providing agency and empowerment to our students.

Tim Villegas
Would you say that definition one more time?

Mirko Chardin
It’s hearing somebody’s voice on what they need and then providing them with that.

Tim Villegas
For those who are listening and are in the situation where they can’t say the “E” word, maybe it really is as simple as: let’s hear what our learners need—whether they are Black and Brown, whether they have an individualized education program, whatever identity they have. Maybe we just need to be listening to learners, right?

Mirko Chardin
Absolutely. If we are going to fix or create educational systems that are worthy of our learners, then we really have to wrestle with the depth of the work. Many people jump to technical fixes and don’t spend time correlating the fact that any action we take is a result of our beliefs and values.

We make decisions about kids and programs based on how we view our role as educators, what we think our jobs are supposed to be, how we view our young people, and what we think our role is in supporting them. If we really wrestle with some of the adaptive elements of the work, we’ll lift up the fact that school is for kids, not for adults.

Every single adult in a school community applied for a job, accepted an interview, and accepted a job offer, committing to being the facilitators of another human being’s learning experience. Yet, when we talk about priorities at schools and wrestle with pressures, we often make it into an adult conversation that revolves around what the adults think they should do or should not do, unintentionally communicating to our scholars that they have no voice and that school is something being done to them rather than for them and with them.

Our educators need to remember that our students will soon join society as decision-makers. They’re not in school forever. Once they become 18 or 21, their voices matter just as much as any other adult’s. If we focus on learners and the purpose of our educational systems, that will give us inroads into having different types of conversations and slowing down processes so our actions truly reflect benefiting learners and not just satisfying adults.

Tim Villegas
I absolutely love what you’re saying, Mirko, and I know our listeners are loving this as well. The question for us is: what about educators whose mindset is not aligned with this? Historically, school should have been for kids the entire time, but the mindset has been: I have knowledge, I have the curriculum, and I am going to impart this knowledge on you. This will make you into the person society thinks you need to be, and then you’ll leave our educational system and become a productive member.

How do we move people to start thinking that school is for kids?

Mirko Chardin
We have to create circumstances that touch values and beliefs—things that are sometimes perceived as scary. If we can’t reinsert humanity into the educational process and keep it at the center, we’re going to lose sight of everything.

When I say that, I mean not just acknowledging that this is about taking care of younger humans, but also requiring educators to acknowledge their own humanity. We are not in an industry dealing with static beings or inanimate objects. If we are going to authentically connect with our young people, we have to consider our own humanity and value systems, the things we bring with us.

We need to ask:

• Is this a space where I feel like I’m part of an adult learning community?
• Am I able to continue my own learning, growth, and development?

Even educators with rigid perspectives still hold on to the cliché that all educators should be lifelong learners. Well, what does that mean for you as an educator? What does a challenging learning journey look like for you? What do you need to feel supported and safe enough to step out of your comfort zone?

If educators wrestle with that, they’ll realize that learning isn’t something mystical that only applies to kids. It’s about embracing the joy of learning for everyone. Leaders need to create cultures that support educators and allow them to wrestle with the messiness of being human—wrestling with vulnerability, processing societal events, and managing cognitive load.

If leaders don’t create those dynamics, educators can’t show up at their best. And when educators aren’t at their best, they unintentionally make decisions that lead to harm.

I think some of what we see happening in schools is educators giving back to kids what they themselves have received. Many came in excited to inspire young people, but the system demoralized and dehumanized them. When that fire isn’t tended to, it’s hard to pour into others.

Tim Villegas
One of the common characteristics we see with inclusive schools—the ones that really stand out—are that they include all learners, provide time for general and special education teachers to co-create, collaborate, co-teach, and co-assess. They have fantastic leadership. Their leaders provide space for teachers to be vulnerable, reflect, and plan.

Is it really leadership we’re talking about here?

Mirko Chardin
I think we are. We’re talking about leadership, institutional culture, and things that folks in the private sector have realized are of chief importance if they want to be successful. Unfortunately, these things haven’t been normalized in education.

When we talk about leadership, we’re not just talking about building leadership. Building leaders, although they have power and influence over their schools, are essentially middle managers who look up to district leadership. If there’s a toxic or dehumanizing culture at the district level, those leaders are deflated. When they stand before their school communities, they emulate what they’ve experienced.

This creates a trickle-down effect. Principals may seem powerful, but if you talk to them, they’ll tell you they don’t have absolute power. They implement policies dictated by the school board, superintendent, and assistant superintendents. They may have little influence over curriculum because of curriculum coordinators and directors.

If there’s dysfunction at the top, principals are stuck communicating messages they didn’t create, absorbing the hits when staff are unhappy. This normalizes a sense of powerlessness and survival mode—where success is just surviving the experience instead of thriving.

I don’t think there’s a universal conceptual framework for what it means to thrive as an educator or leader in today’s world. That needs to change. We can’t keep looking at models from 40 or 50 years ago when society and its needs were completely different.

Tim Villegas
What if I’m a principal or school leader who feels stuck in a system that isn’t inclusive or forward-thinking? It’s stuck in old patterns, and I want to move forward but don’t know how. Do you have any advice?

Mirko Chardin
First and foremost, go back to your “why.” Why did you make the decision to do this work? Not in a cookie-cutter way like “I want to give back,” but really dig in. What motivated you to commit to this work?

Then ask:

• What do you need to sustain yourself in this space?
• Can you get those things here?
• Are there colleagues or networks you can connect with for support?

If you realize you can’t sustain yourself and can’t get what you need, start thinking about an exit strategy. That’s taboo in education, but in business, it’s expected. If leaders are burned out, they don’t have the capacity to support educators.

We hear it on airplanes: put your oxygen mask on first. You need to ensure you’re full enough to pour into others. If not, you’re just taking up space. There’s no shame in hitting a wall or burning out. Self-care is significant.

Too many leaders correlate leadership with martyrdom—thinking their badge of honor is not spending time with family, being stuck in the building, sacrificing everything. We need to shatter that narrative. It’s not healthy, sustaining, or inspiring, and it doesn’t give anyone the capacity to lift others up.

Tim Villegas
I want to pivot to talking about inclusive education and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a way to reimagine and reshape school systems. Many of our listeners are educators and school leaders who have bought in—they know we need more inclusive school systems. Maybe they’ve heard of UDL, maybe they haven’t, but they know it can be part of the strategy.

What do you suggest as first steps for educators who want to change systems and know UDL is part of it, but don’t know how it fits in?

Mirko Chardin
It’s all about building internal capacity. If educators are interested in UDL, there are great resources available—online courses, self-directed or live-facilitated. At Novak Education, we have a variety of offerings.

There are also excellent texts, like UDL Now! by Katie Novak and Equity by Design, which Katie and I co-authored. These are great ways to wrestle with ideas and understand the framework.

I also recommend using social media. Despite the hubbub about Twitter, many educators still connect there and share resources. If you use the hashtag #UDLchat, you’ll find tons of questions, responses, and resources from educators across the nation.

If you don’t have like-minded colleagues locally or it’s not safe yet to raise these ideas, social media can be a lifeline.

Tim Villegas
I know for myself, I wouldn’t have stayed in public education as long as I did without connecting with like-minded educators on social media.

Mirko Chardin
Absolutely. We have so many resources now. If you can’t access networks locally, virtual spaces can help tremendously. They also allow us to create national dialogue about trends and issues in classrooms and schools.

As someone who visits schools in different states and districts, it’s fascinating to see the commonalities. Many of us wrestle with the same issues in isolation, assuming it’s just us. Social media helps us realize we’re not alone and gives us access to strategies and resources that could benefit the entire field.

Tim Villegas
Do you have any examples of how implementing UDL has changed a school system to be inclusive of all learners? Novak Education has worked with many districts, but I think people would love to hear some stories.

Mirko Chardin
Absolutely. There’s tremendous success around the nation with folks digging in and making this work real. The place I know best is my former school community, which I founded in 2012 and led for nearly a decade.

When we began wrestling with UDL, it changed everything for us. Why? Because we realized UDL isn’t about tips and tricks or magical silver-bullet strategies. It’s a framework—a set of principles, beliefs, and values that guide our work.

Before we could wrap our minds around how to do UDL, we had to wrestle with foundational principles:

• Variability is everywhere—not just among kids, but among adults.
• What does it authentically mean to have firm goals and flexible means?
• Do we truly believe that all means all?

It’s easy to say “all means all,” but data and experiences often show otherwise. We had to ask: Do we authentically believe every learner has the potential to operate as an expert learner if barriers are removed?

If we believe that, then our role changes. We stop judging which kids have potential and start identifying and removing barriers. That mindset shift changes everything—how we plan, how we interact, and how we measure success.

When we first wrestled with this, many of us assumed we were already doing everything possible. But when we dug deeper, we realized our practices didn’t always align with our stated beliefs.

UDL forced us to rethink our roles—not as gatekeepers of knowledge, but as facilitators and coaches. Like a trainer at the gym, we don’t lift the weights for students; we coach them through it. That means releasing some control, creating opportunities for voice and feedback, and ensuring our work is about the recipient of the service—the learner.

I often say educators are in a service industry. We deliver educational experiences, which means we have clients—not ones we profit from, but individuals who are the direct recipients of our service. If we truly embrace that, we focus on impact, not just intent.

Tim Villegas
When listening to learner voices, I wonder: for systems implementing UDL, do learners ever say they want something different—like specialized programs? I’m thinking about gifted education or learners with disabilities.

At MCIE, we advocate for learners to have access and learn in the same spaces. But when we listen to learners, do we ever hear, “I want something different”?

Mirko Chardin
In my experience, I haven’t encountered that often, but it could happen. And that’s okay. We’re supposed to be developing self-efficacy and independence so learners are ready for the world beyond school.

This is why it frustrates me when educational systems remain stagnant during times of societal and economic turmoil. If we’re worried about the economy, how are we investing in developing the capacity of our future workforce? Education isn’t babysitting. It’s about equipping students with skills to contribute to society.

That means acknowledging that the kids in your class today might be doctors, dentists, or decision-makers tomorrow. That reality should push us to do better.

I’ve had those gut-check moments—running into former students in positions of influence. It makes you reflect: Did I treat them in a way that prepared them for success?

I know this personally because I was expelled from three schools in middle school. I had horrific experiences before turning things around. Later, I became the supervisor of educators who once taught me—and some were shocked when I was their boss. That reality should motivate us to treat every learner as someone with potential.

Tim Villegas
That can get real, real fast.

Mirko Chardin
Yes! And that’s why we need to normalize that school is not about us—it’s about the kids. They are the recipients of our service. When we receive service, we expect our voices to be heard and our needs met. Why should it be different for students?

If a mechanic can’t fix brakes, they won’t stay in business. If a restaurant ignores allergies, they won’t stay in business. But in schools, it’s easy to say, “These are kids; this is what I have; this is what it’s going to be.”

Kids know when we’re being fake. They spend six to eight hours a day with us, 180 days a year. They read our tone, body language, and facial expressions. There’s an old saying: More is caught than taught. If we say “it’s all about the kids” but our actions don’t reflect that, they see the hypocrisy.

Leaders need to create cultures that celebrate all identities and perspectives. When we do that, we create thriving communities for adults and kids.

Tim Villegas
I think there’s a misconception, especially with new educators, that building community is an afterthought. They think, “I need to teach the curriculum and manage the classroom.” But you don’t get a healthy classroom without building community and investing in learners—and taking care of yourself.

Mirko Chardin
Absolutely. Many educators focus on intent, not impact. John Dewey said: You cannot say you’ve taught anyone anything if there’s no evidence of learning. Just because you presented content doesn’t mean students learned it.

If assessments show most students didn’t grasp the concept, you can’t move on. You attempted to teach, but the attempt wasn’t successful. In sports, you don’t get points for attempts—you get points for results. We need to apply that mindset to education.

Too often, we hang our hats on “I showed up; I tried.” That’s not enough.

Tim Villegas
I heard that a lot when I was in schools. I also heard, “Let’s just get them in, feed them, and send them home.”

Mirko Chardin
That’s why we need to wrestle with the adaptive side of the work. If we don’t stop and reflect on the purpose of schooling, we’re just running blindly. Is the purpose babysitting? Or is it preparing students for life?

We need to ask:

• What is our firm goal?
• How do we know we’re achieving it?

Tim Villegas
Mirko Chardin, thank you so much for being on the podcast.

Mirko Chardin
I’m honored to be a guest. Thank you.

Tim Villegas
Think Inclusive is written, edited, and sound-designed by Tim Villegas and is a production of MCIE. Original music by Miles Kredich.

Attention school leaders: Did you know you can team up with the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education to promote inclusive practices in your school or district, regardless of your location? Visit mcie.org/contact and mention Think Inclusive in your message.

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