This procedure is designed to define some of the terms or phrases that are used in or relevant to the strategic plan. Where applicable, the source of the definition has been identified. These definitions are in alphabetical order.

Anti-Racist:  one who supports policies or actions that are aimed at undoing historical and current racist policies or actions¹.

Color-evasiveness/color-blindness:  denial of racial differences by emphasizing similarities. Though well-intentioned, it implies race does not matter and leads to inequity.

Culturally-responsive/culturally-responsive practices:  helps educators create student-centered learning environments that affirm racial, linguistic and cultural identities and develop students’ abilities to connect across lines of difference².

Disproportionality:  used when one group’s population size is too large or too small in comparison with another group. Frequently used to indicate that a policy or action is impacting one group more or less than another. 

Diversity:  a representation of the unique differences, and cultural and lived experiences that make up our school community. These differences can exist along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, language heritage, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.

Equality:  regarding or affecting all people in the same way.

Equity:  the state, quality, or ideal of being just, impartial, and fair. The concept of equity is synonymous with fairness and justice. To be achieved and sustained, equity needs to be thought of as a structural and systemic concept, and not as idealistic. Equity is a robust system and dynamic process that reinforces and replicates equitable ideas, power, resources, strategies, conditions, habits, and outcomes.

Historically-underrepresented groups:  refers to groups who have been denied access and/or suffered effects of systematic racism and/or discrimination.

Implicit bias:  the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions³.

Inclusion:  involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging.

Inequity:  situations, actions, or instances that result in a lack of fairness or justice.

Microaggression:  a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a historically-underrepresented group.

Race:  a socially-constructed system of categorizing humans largely based on observable physical features (phenotypes) such as skin color and ancestry.

Racism:  a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

Systematic racism:  the operation of racial bias across institutions and society. Lack of fairness or justice resulting from policies, procedures, or ways of doing business.

White privilege:  inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterized by racial inequality and injustice⁴. It does not mean white people don’t have or haven’t had struggles; it means skin color hasn’t contributed to their struggles.

1 Adapted from How To be An Antiracist, Ibram X. Kendi (2019)

2 Adapted from the New York State Education Department Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework

3 Ohio State University Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

4 Lexico.com

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