Rita Santos - Taking Action Against Inequality

Published in 2020 by Enslow Publishing, LLC.

101 W. 23rd Street, Suite 240, New York, NY 10011

Copyright 2020 by Enslow Publishing, LLC.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Santos, Rita, author.

Title: Taking action against inequality / Rita Santos.

Description: New York: Enslow Publishing, 2020 | Series: Working for

social justice | Audience: Grade level 3-6. | Includes bibliographical

references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018050008| ISBN 9781978507883 (library bound) | ISBN

9781978508019 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781978508026 (6 pack)

Subjects: LCSH: EqualityJuvenile literature. | Economic policyJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC HM821 .S176 2019 | DDC 305dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018050008

Printed in the United States of America

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Photo Credits: Cover, pp..

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

W e live in a . This means that, no matter who you are, you have the same rights and opportunities as anyone else. But equality doesnt mean we all get the same things. For example, a person with poor eyesight needs glasses. Equality means making sure people with poor vision have glasses, not that everyone has glasses. Equality means we are all treated fairly.

Unfortunately, some people are still treated unfairly because of who they are. When people are treated badly because of some part of their identity, like their race or sexual orientation, its called . People can be discriminated against for many reasons. Discrimination is always wrong, but it can be hard to stop.

Discrimination causes inequalities in our communities because it prevents everyone from getting what they need. When people are discriminated against, they can have trouble finding jobs. They may be charged more for things they need than other groups or have more trouble finding housing. Discrimination also makes our communities unsafe because it can create fear of and anger toward people based on their differencesand can lead to even more serious problems like violence against minorities.

We live in a diverse world, and we need to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.

Some groups, like LGBT people, have been discriminated against by the government because of who they are.

Being a part of a community means we take care of each other. It means we are all on the same team. No matter what community we belong to, we all have a responsibility to make sure no one suffers from inequality. By learning to fight inequality we can make our communities even better. Inequality is unfair but its not unstoppable. We can work together to end discrimination.

one

WHEN SOCIETY IS UNEQUAL

E very community has rules and systems that help it run. Think of these systems like the directions to a board game. Good directions make sure that every player starts the game with everything they need to play. But board games only work when everyone plays by the same rules. Some inequality in our communities is caused when people play by different societal rules.

We like to think that anyone who breaks a law will receive the same punishment. However, studies have shown that white people who are found guilty of crimes receive less punishment than people of color. This kind of racial inequality is bad for everyone. It means some people are punished too much and others not enough.

Like a board game, every community has rules that have to be followed to keep it running properly.

But inequality can start even earlier in a persons life. Some people are born with more advantages than others. This makes it easier for them to take care of themselves and pursue their life goals. A person with fewer advantages may need more help from society to achieve the same goals. Inequality means some people are not getting the things they need to live happy, healthy lives. No one deserves to suffer because their family has less money or because they are a minority.

WHERE DOES INEQUALITY COME FROM

Its easy to think that inequality is caused by the actions of a few terrible people. In reality, most people dont want to cause inequality to happen or continue. But whether we know it or not, we all take part in systems that are unequal.

In the United States, public schools are free and funded by local taxes. This means each family in a town pays some money to help the schools buy things like textbooks. This system seems fair because everyone can attend school for free. However, because some neighborhoods are wealthier than others, schools arent always funded equally, which is unfair to low-income students.

Inherited Wealth

When parents can pass money or other things of value down to their children, its called . Some groups were once prevented from owning homes. This meant they had less inherited wealth to pass along to their children. Those children likely had white peers who were able to benefit from inherited wealth since their parents werent prevented from owning a house. This is an example of how inequality in the past can still affect families today. Understanding the effects of past discrimination can help us solve current problems with inequality.

When parents pass property, like a house, onto their children, this is called inherited wealth.

Public schools are supported by local taxes, which means schools in wealthier neighborhoods are better funded.

To battle inequality, we must understand how different people are affected by societys rules and systems. Sometimes things that seem fair arent really fair for everyone. Learning how to spot inequality is a big job.

two

SPOTTING INEQUALITY

I t can be helpful to think of inequality like an iceberg. An iceberg is a floating block of ice that can be large enough to sink a ship. Its hard to tell how large an iceberg is from above the waterline because only a small piece of the ice may be visible. Good sailors know how to spot possible icebergs and when they need a closer look. Inequality in our society can be the same way. Many issues around inequality can seem small until we take a closer look.

By taking an active interest in how people who are different from us experience the world we can begin to learn to spot some of their inequality icebergs.