Systemic Inequality and Allyship

Personal & Social Development · Empathy & Social Awareness · ages 11-12

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which of these is an example of systemic inequality?
- Two students getting different grades because one studied more
- Fewer women reaching top leadership jobs
- A teacher choosing a favorite student unfairly
What is a good way to describe 'systemic inequality'?
- Rules that give some groups a head start
- A person being mean to someone else
- A law that treats everyone in exactly the same way
Structural discrimination can exist even if no individual person is being prejudiced on purpose.
Circle one: True False
Looking at the chart, out of every 100 top leaders shown, how many are women?
Answer: ______________
A teacher gives the same homework to every student, but only some students have a computer and internet at home. Is this 'treating everyone the same' fair?
- Yes, because the rule is identical for everyone
- It doesn't matter because effort is what counts
- No, the rule leaves a structural barrier
Maya is a girl who is also from a family with less money than most of her classmates. Which idea explains why she might face more barriers than a girl whose family has more money, or a boy with less money?
- Intersectionality, because her different identities combine and create their own barriers
- Prejudice
- Equity
Two students start a race. One runs on a smooth track. The other runs on a track full of rocks and hurdles the first student doesn't have. The rules for the race are identical for both runners. Is the race fair?
- Yes, since the rules are the same for both
- Yes, because effort is all that matters in a race
- No, because equal rules do not remove unequal starting conditions
Jordan says: 'If I just feel sorry for people who face inequality, that makes me a good ally.' What is wrong with Jordan's thinking?
- Nothing, pity is the same as being an ally
- Being a good ally means acting on evidence and taking real steps to help, not just feeling pity
- Allies should ignore the problem completely

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Systemic Inequality and Allyship W1-mt_oqvJJKCJXw-s1

Fewer women reaching top leadership jobs · When a whole group ends up with fewer opportunities across many workplaces, that points to a system, not just one choice.
Rules that give some groups a head start · Systemic inequality is built into rules, systems and history, not just into one person's actions.
True · A system can produce unequal results just from old rules and habits, without anyone meaning to be unfair.
10 · The chart shows 90 men and 10 women out of 100 top leaders, a big gap in representation.
No, the rule leaves a structural barrier · Identical rules can still be unfair when people start from different circumstances they didn't choose.
Intersectionality, because her different identities combine and create their own barriers · Overlapping parts of a person's identity, like gender and family income, can combine to create a bigger or different barrier than either one alone.
No, because equal rules do not remove unequal starting conditions · This is like systemic inequality: identical rules do not erase real obstacles that only one side has to deal with.
Being a good ally means acting on evidence and taking real steps to help, not just feeling pity · Pity looks down on people. A genuine ally listens, learns the facts, and takes action instead of just feeling sorry.