Engaging in Meaningful Conversation about Socioeconomic Status and Class Identity

Where are you going for spring break? How many colleges did you apply to? Why are you not going on the international service-learning trip? These are the sort of questions students and colleagues ask each other in advisories, classrooms, and hallways. No doubt they are born out of intentions to connect. They are not meant to embarrass or be unkind, but the truth is that they contain often overlooked class assumptions and, when raised, reinforce disparities based on class identity. This article discusses how Wildwood School (California), a K-12 school, has been working to help students and faculty develop a deeper understanding of and sensitivity to the influence of socioeconomic status and class identity in their daily interactions. The school has been actively pursuing "experiential equity," which is a matter of ensuring that all students have access to the resources they need to fully participate in the essential school experience regardless of cost. [Online Feature]