Raising the equity flag – why I’m passionate about fighting inequity in Aotearoa

"When I re-read my first blog post from 2021 I was struck by how conversations that raise the equity flag and call out systemic racism, bias, and behaviour that does not honour te Tiriti o Waitangi seem even more critical in 2024. 

Two years on from that blog post, we have a new consideration: how do we gain the agency we need to determine our own national identity, and not be limited by the uninformed views of others?

My apprehension about the readiness of Aotearoa to address inequities in the education space continues. In the political arena, there is urgency for courage in the face of ignorance and disinformation. In workplace and school settings, we must work ever harder to create positive cultures and implement practices that embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 

In 2024 my focus, and that of Tātai Aho Rau Core Education, remains on elevating the voices of the marginalised and taking action to challenge those who seek to undermine them. I urge educators, policymakers, and employers to have conversations about where you stand on these issues, then start taking steps to act as kaiwhakaaraara by proactively raising awareness about the inequities you see." - Dr Hana O'Regan

Raising the equity flag

I’ve been challenging my understanding of equity issues, and where possible, the understanding of others, for decades now. My own understanding has grown considerably. I have learned about the history of inequity in our country and its origins, and about how specific parts of that historic narrative have impacted where we are now as a nation.

I have found myself vigorously wanting to raise the equity flag across the motu, and to help construct a new narrative in those spaces where I can see the existing narrative perpetuates negative outcomes for certain groups in our society. I’m also doing a lot of thinking about the issue of equity and education and what that means within the context of Māori learner engagement and achievement.

Tātai Aho Rau Core Education is committed to an equitable and thriving Aotearoa through learning. I am excited by the current levels of discussion and, for the first time in my life, I am starting to see the equity kaupapa actively addressed across many spheres.

It is true, we have a considerable journey to travel, but how exciting to know that the journey is now on our immediate horizons. But I am also anxious about how well prepared we are as a country to move ahead on the journey. So far, we have not told ‘our story’ as a nation well. This means we don’t have a clear view of what the issues are or how they have come to be.

As a nation we have become very accustomed to putting out defensive or deflecting responses. We have also become very good at justifying inequities or ignoring them. I understand that discussing the issue of equity and being open to identifying inequities can be hard to do and uncomfortable for many reasons. It takes a strong level of commitment and resilience to push ourselves, let alone whole communities, into uncomfortable spaces. Despite this, there have been times in our collective history where we have been able to do just that on a number of issues, so my anxiety is tempered with a certain level of optimism, that this is something we can do and should do together as a nation.

This will be in part addressed by the introduction of Aotearoa New Zealand histories into the national curriculum in 2022. It means more people will have access to a wider and more informed narrative.

A number of other waves of thinking and information on the tides of our national consciousness are continuing to gain momentum, like the Unteach Racism campaign being led out by the Teachers Council and the Human Rights Commission’s work on tackling racism in Aotearoa. The combination of these efforts will serve to help develop a movement of change that I know will help us shift the equity dial in a positive direction for future generations. We just need to prepare and be brave enough to withstand the challenging currents swirling around us that may try and pull us in another direction, or stop us from moving forward.

I want to further explore my understanding equity and its nemesis – inequity – and I will be sharing some further thoughts on the topics of inequity by design and the Aotearoa experience, the kaupapa of streaming in education, and the steps and leadership required to achieve more equitable outcomes. But in this first blog I wanted to locate myself in the equity story – and to reflect on a few of the factors that have motivated me and brought me to this point, working here at Tātai Aho Rau Core Education, and our vision of equity in learning for all New Zealanders for a thriving Aotearoa. It’s an acknowledgement that to do so is challenging, it can be heartbreaking and uncomfortable, but it’s also a story of change and transformation, liberation and hope.

I hope you will join us in the journey ahead