Conclusion
The educational system has been in crisis for a long time, and the
COVID-19 pandemic turned a magnifying glass on the societal determinants
that cause educational inequities. At this point no person or
institution is unaffected by the epidemic of educational inequality.
Instructors, deans, provosts, and presidents are wrestling with these
issues is because no sustainable long-term plan has been implemented
more broadly by our government or other agencies. Colleges and
universities educate the nations’ students, whomever they are, no matter
where they are from. Being aware of some of the difficult circumstances
that students facing can assist us in selecting best teaching practices
for increased equity and inclusion. Small changes in our teaching
practices can have large learning implications over time. Though our one
class will not change the entire educational system, we do have the
power to lead by example, starting right where we are, one student at a
time knowing that the circumstances of one’s education matter. Teaching
is our superpower. Starting now we can make the legacy of the 2020
pandemics aftermath a more equitable and inclusive system for teaching
and learning in which all organisms thrive and flourish to their
greatest potential.