|
A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with an old friend about DEI and fairness. He argued that mainstreaming disabled children in public schools isn’t fair to the non-disabled children, that it holds them back. (Oddly enough, he also wants to cut federal spending and apparently doesn’t realize how expensive Special Ed programs are.) I explained to him that, while some children (including some of mine) require a more specialized classroom for most of their school day, many can thrive in a mainstream classroom with some accommodations (like my other kids). Their presence in a mainstream classroom also normalizes disabilities and teaches all students to respect all people, regardless of abilities. And all children should have the same rights associated with public education.
He insisted that it wasn’t fair.
That got me thinking about fairness. Anyone who’s a member of a marginalized population knows that our society isn’t fair. But should it be? It brought to mind a Bible quote that I strive to live by: “Seek justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God.” (If you’re not Christian or Jewish, I imagine that you can still appreciate most of that.) I noticed that it doesn’t say, “Seek fairness,” and I realized that those are two very different concepts that are often conflated.
I’ve seen plenty of appeals to fairness lately. “I had to work long hours for poor wages. This generation is lazy.” And I rarely see, “I had all kinds of advantages. We should expect everyone to have those advantages.”
Fairness focuses on how things have been and how things are. Justice focuses on how things should be to benefit everyone. Justice is rooted in mercy for those who do not have complete justice.
We believe in justice for all. No, really — all. That doesn’t mean, “You can have the kind of justice I like.” True justice serves the needs of everyone. So just as we envision fantasy worlds like the Forgotten Realms, Eberron, or Andovir, we also envision our world with justice for everyone, not as a fantasy, but as a dream to fight for.
I’m writing this from our local school during my break — I’m substitute teaching 7/8 math today. The kids in the dedicated Special Ed department across the hall need justice. The kids who learned in my classes today with a paraprofessional aide need justice. The kids in my classes who struggle with English and need accommodations but can’t get the help because our government is blocking our Bilingual Special Ed program need justice. The kids that were in my classes today and will meet me at the library in an hour to play D&D need justice.
We all need justice. Every one of us. Justice doesn’t come by taking it away from some. That’s not justice. Justice is realized when we seek the needs of every person, because we value every person. |
