Presence Isn’t Inclusion, Especially for Students
There is a certain kind of student I think about often. The one who tries hard, shows up, wants to do well, and still ends up feeling like they’re always a step behind. Not because they’re not capable, but because the way they learn doesn’t match the way school is set up.
The New Inclusion Crisis in Education: Why Opportunity, Not Presence, Defines Equity
“Inclusion is not based on presence; it's based on equitable opportunity.” – Brian E. Roach
In speaking to one of my colleagues at HiNAIA I used that line. It resonated with me because I spent years watching what happens when presence gets mistaken for inclusion. A child can be in the room, in the routine, in the picture and still be completely invisible in ways no gradebook will ever show. My daughter experienced that kind of quiet exclusion more often than anyone realized.