INEQUALITIES in Education are REAL

What’s up? This is Seth with SethPerler.com, executive function coach out of Boulder, Colorado.

I’m here today to respond to an email that I received, which goes as follows. Then I’m going to help you understand how I look at some of the inequities we experience in education.

The email says:

“Hello,

I appreciate the concept, but I have a couple of concerns.

First, I work in a district that is part of a low-income rural community. Most of the students and their families do not have the income to purchase the supplies that you mentioned in this video.

Second, many of the students and parents are not educated or do not value education.

I realize the importance of this topic, and I encouraged my students when I was a classroom teacher, but know the financial and attitude struggles students can face.”

I really appreciate this email, and I think it’s very important.

First, let me explain something.

This email was in response to a toolkit on my website. When people sign up for my website, I send out free videos to help students. This particular email was responding to Tool Number Two, where I talk about how important it is to have a sacred study space.

Whether a student is homeschooled, attends public school, private school, or anything else, I believe it’s important for them to have a place in the home where they can focus, remove distractions, and work on the things they need to do for their education—whether that’s homework, papers, reading assignments, projects, or anything else.

Most of the people who follow my blog are in traditional public schools. However, I also have followers who homeschool, unschool, attend private schools, or live in low-income rural communities and districts.

One thing that has bothered me throughout my entire career is that the people who can afford what I do are generally not low-income. They often have significant financial resources.

That’s fine—I don’t care what background a child comes from. But the reality is that, in order for me to make a living doing this work, those are often the families I serve.

Part of the reason I created my free blog is because I wanted these ideas to be available to anyone.

I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours creating content, designing resources, recording videos, and sending them out every week. I’ve put enormous amounts of time, effort, heart, and energy into this because I believe everyone should have access to these ideas.

I also do pro bono work. I’ve offered many free talks, and I try to make myself available whenever possible. I genuinely want to help anyone I can.

The email mentions working in a low-income rural community where many families cannot afford supplies.

Honestly, it drives me crazy that the minimum wage is as low as it is. It frustrates me that people can work hard and still struggle to make a living.

Excuse me for ranting, but it’s painful for me to watch.

I work with students because I believe in education and because I want them to have great futures. Yet we’re raising and educating kids without always preparing them for the world they’re entering.

We’re not always giving them what they need.

Particularly for students who struggle with executive function, the risks are significant. These students often struggle to get things done, manage responsibilities, and follow through.

If they can’t learn how to execute, organize, prioritize, and manage their lives effectively, they may have a much harder time achieving their goals and dreams.

They may struggle to build happy and successful futures.

That’s not why I do this work.

I do this because I want all students—regardless of their background, religion, politics, income level, or circumstances—to grow up with the opportunity to create happy and successful lives.

So yes, I share your concerns.

I don’t talk about these issues very often because I try to keep my blog focused on practical solutions. But I know that when students don’t have access to resources, they are at a disadvantage.

When some students can afford advanced courses, tutors, coaches, therapists, specialized supplies, and other supports while others cannot, that is not fair.

It’s not equitable.

It’s not okay.

But it is the reality we currently live with.

I am committed to giving away as much as I can. When people ask for scholarships to my online programs, I try to help when possible. Sometimes I work with families for free or at reduced rates.

I do what I can.

I would love to help every child in the world, but I can’t.

What I can do is continue sharing meaningful information through my blog and resources.

If you’re watching this and can’t afford the things I recommend, don’t worry about that.

What matters most is understanding the principle behind what I’m teaching.

For example, I’m standing at a standing desk right now.

If you can’t afford a standing desk, that’s okay.

The point isn’t the desk.

The point is movement.

My ADHD brain focuses better when I’m moving, and many of the students I work with focus better when they’re not sitting still all day.

The principle is movement—not the equipment.

A countertop can work.

A piece of wood attached to a wall can work.

The specific tool doesn’t matter.

The concept does.

So whenever something I recommend seems financially out of reach, focus on the principle behind it. That’s what matters most.

Now, let me address the second concern from the email.

The writer mentions that some parents are not educated or do not value education, and that students often face attitude-related challenges.

This brings me to another major concern I have.

In my opinion, we often fail to train teachers as artists of their craft.

Teachers should be experts at creatively serving diverse learners.

They should understand how to differentiate instruction and adapt learning experiences to meet the needs of different students.

Instead, we often place teachers in impossible situations.

We have overcrowded classrooms.

We lack resources.

We don’t provide enough training.

We don’t pay teachers enough.

We don’t give them enough time.

We don’t support them the way they deserve to be supported.

As a result, many teachers burn out.

Nearly half of teachers leave the profession within the first five years.

Think about that.

People spend years preparing to become teachers because they care about kids. Yet by year five, many are so exhausted and discouraged that they leave.

That breaks my heart.

At the same time, many teachers are told to follow the curriculum, stick to the script, and focus on compliance.

They’re often discouraged from being creative.

They’re discouraged from being artists.

They’re discouraged from adapting instruction to individual students.

There is a great deal of deeply rooted dysfunction in the system.

Many well-meaning teachers, administrators, and school staff unknowingly perpetuate practices that shame students.

And shame is one of the biggest issues I deal with in my work.

Many of my students receive messages like:

“You’re lazy.”

“You’re not trying hard enough.”

“You must not care.”

“Why don’t you just do it?”

“Why can’t you be more responsible?”

These messages are damaging.

Many students have processing challenges, executive function difficulties, learning differences, or other obstacles that make a 20-minute homework assignment take three or four hours.

Some students eventually stop trying because they can’t experience success.

Others work incredibly hard and still feel like they’re being told their efforts aren’t enough.

And some spend so much time working that they no longer have time for self-care, hobbies, family, or rest.

When students ask, “Why should I do this?” I believe that’s often a symptom of a much larger systemic problem.

Too often, we fail to create engaging educational experiences that make students feel competent, valued, and connected to their strengths.

Instead, we place them into rigid systems driven by standardization, testing, and compliance.

Many large organizations profit from maintaining those systems.

Change is difficult because powerful interests often benefit from the status quo.

The only way things will improve is if parents, teachers, and people who care about children become more informed.

We need to look at these issues honestly and say:

“This isn’t okay.”

“This needs to change.”

Then we need to work together to create something better.

That’s enough of my rant for today.

I don’t usually talk like this publicly, but I think about these issues all the time.

My mind is constantly filtering my students’ experiences through questions like:

• Is this helping the student?

• Is this preparing them for a successful future?

• Is this actually accomplishing what we think it is?

• What could be done differently?

• What does this child truly need?

It pains me deeply to see any child, anywhere in the world, denied the education and opportunities they need to build a good life.

That’s what drives me.

That’s why I do this work.

I try to do my small part. I try to create my own ripple effect while I’m here and make my own dent in the universe, as Steve Jobs once said.

There are incredible teachers, educators, parents, and professionals doing amazing work every day.

But we still have a long way to go.

If you haven’t signed up for my blog at SethPerler.com, check it out.

And keep fighting the good fight.

Keep helping kids.

Take care.