First do no harm: Practical ways schools can work against systemic inequities for all of their students
According to Erikson’s fourth stage of his famous lifespan theory of development, when kids reach schooling age, they face the crisis of industry versus inferiority. As we tell our graduate students, this is where teachers and schools have the most influence on students’ social and emotional development, and it’s where they can do the most harm. This harm is especially likely if a student is Black or Latino. We know that both groups are more likely to be verbally reprimanded, expelled, and suspended in comparison to White students.