Stop Saying All Means All If You Don’t Mean It
"All means all" isn’t a slogan, it’s a commitment.
Superintendent, Ferndale Public Schools (Mich.)
We often say "all means all" in education, displaying it on banners, mission statements, and websites, as a pledge to ourselves, our communities, and our students.
However, if the system isn't built to support students who are furthest from opportunity, then "all" doesn't mean all, it means average.
In Ferndale, average wasn't good enough for the students who needed the most support, so a new Dynamic Plan was developed with community voice and data at its center.
- African American students were underrepresented in advanced coursework.
- They were overrepresented in discipline referrals.
- They didn't make the same academic progress as their peers, not due to ability, but due to the systems in place.
This realization led to a shift from saying "all" to specifying "who" in order to address the disparities.
Author's summary: Stop using "all means all" if you don't truly mean it.
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