The Equity Audit Racket

Have you ever taken your car in for an oil change only to have them tell you that you need hundreds of dollars of other “repairs” that they can conveniently take care of for you? Have you ever hired someone to patch a small leak in your roof only to have them tell you that you need a whole new roof that they can conveniently take care of for you? There are other scenarios most of you can remember where this type of thing happens. When it serves the interest of the one finding the “issues” those issues become urgent and necessary to fix. And, they can conveniently take care of it for you.

Now, put that in the context of “equity audits”. These companies come in and find inequities in outcomes and conveniently offer services (or collaborative companies) that can solve those issues. The problem lies in the fact that the inequitable outcomes may or may not be caused by the things those services offer to “fix”. As Thomas Sowell points out, disparities do not necessarily mean discrimination. (Discrimination and Disparities) Inequities of outcomes do not necessarily mean racism or sexism. But, offering to “fix” those issues is how these companies stay in business.

Just as in the case of car mechanics and roofers, there are certainly issues and situations where their expertise is needed, but those who profit off of false diagnoses lack integrity and should not be allowed to continue to swindle the public. If you doubt that is the case in the public schools, request the contracts for your school district’s equity audit and any contracts with consultants peddling DEI, SEL, or Intersectionality materials. You may find there is just cause for the movement calling for #educationNOTindoctrination.