As a part of Ethics Week, I attended the presentation by Dr. Anne Zahradnik, “Cut the Cake.” Dr. Zahradnik discussed the concept of equality versus equity. Equity, as defined by The Glossary of Educational Reform, is the “wide variety of educational models, programs, and strategies that may be considered fair, but not necessarily equal,” whereas equality can be defined as equalness for everyone, no matter the circumstances. Dr. Zahradnik’s presentation emphasized these two concepts and had her audience discuss collectively which they felt was the best for society to implement, by using cake slices as an analogy. When one walked into the room, before the presentation began, they may have noticed a giant sheet cake in the corner of the room.
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Zahradnik had us split into groups of five and decide which statement we agreed with, based on those derived from Deborah Stone and her concepts of equity. From here, each group stated their own arguments and tried to win over others and have them join their case, creating larger, but fewer groups. Next, these larger groups gave a further argument and after given the option to change views and switch to another group, a final tally was taken. By a majority vote, it was decided that the cake was to be split into unequal slices, but with equal statistical chances of receiving a piece of cake. Those who wished to receive a piece of cake wrote their name on a slip of paper and put it into a hat. One by one, these names were pulled out of the hat and the order in which your name was pulled, was the order in which you got to choose the piece of cake you received. Cutting the cake in this manner and taking the time to pick out names from a hat may not have been the best method, but this was Dr. Zahradnik’s objective; to show us that even the approach that seems to be the most logical is not always the most efficient. It was complicated to divide the cake, and it would have only been harder to apply these equity concepts to society, especially with the many components that must be properly
Zahradnik had us split into groups of five and decide which statement we agreed with, based on those derived from Deborah Stone and her concepts of equity. From here, each group stated their own arguments and tried to win over others and have them join their case, creating larger, but fewer groups. Next, these larger groups gave a further argument and after given the option to change views and switch to another group, a final tally was taken. By a majority vote, it was decided that the cake was to be split into unequal slices, but with equal statistical chances of receiving a piece of cake. Those who wished to receive a piece of cake wrote their name on a slip of paper and put it into a hat. One by one, these names were pulled out of the hat and the order in which your name was pulled, was the order in which you got to choose the piece of cake you received. Cutting the cake in this manner and taking the time to pick out names from a hat may not have been the best method, but this was Dr. Zahradnik’s objective; to show us that even the approach that seems to be the most logical is not always the most efficient. It was complicated to divide the cake, and it would have only been harder to apply these equity concepts to society, especially with the many components that must be properly