For-profit

EDEquity Inc

Location:

Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Website:

http://edequity.com/ (Now offline)

Status:

For-Profit

Formation:

2003 (Defunct 2021)

Type:

Education Activist Organization

Executive Director:

Edwin Javius

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EDEquity Inc., was a critical race theory-influenced education consulting firm based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. 1 Its registration was suspended in August 2021 2 following the death of its founder and CEO Edwin Javius. 3

EDEquity conducted critical race theory-inspired workshops on leadership and classroom instructional support, equity in Common Core Education, a so-called equity walk, 4 and state equity certification training. 5 Its white paper on educational equity claims that the structure of American schools was designed to “accelerate those students and families who are able to confirm and validate a middle-class and Euro-centric construct” 6 and says “privileged middle-class white parents” believe in transformation for others but not their children. 7

EDEquity leadership also said California students weren’t learning because black and Hispanic students were being forced to conform to teaching strategies for white and Asian students 8 and compared school culture to “fresh water” and black culture to “saltwater.” 9

History and Leadership

EDEquity was founded as Scholastic Unlimited Inc. in 2003. In 2004 that became EDEquity, Inc. 10 EDEquity’s registration was suspended in August 2021 11 following the death of its founder and CEO Edwin Javius. 12

Edwin Javius was the founder and CEO of EDEquity 13 until his death in March 2020. 14 Javius believed the critical race theory-inspired concept of equity was “the most important issue facing 21st century schools” 15 and the structure of American schools was “designed to accelerate those students and families who are able to confirm and validate a middle-class and Euro-centric construct.” 16

Javius won California’s 2001 School Administrator Valuing Diversity Award and the 2010 NAACP Silicon Valley Educator of the Year Award. 17 He held a M.A. in urban leadership from Fresno Pacific University and an undergraduate degree from the University of California, where he played basketball. 18

Activities and Funding

EDEquity Inc., was a California-based critical race theory-inspired education activist organization that aimed to help teachers “teach better” 19 and identify and eradicate institutional and instructional barriers within the system that “prohibit excellence in adult and student outcomes. 20 EDEquity’s teacher programming was based on the organization’s principles of equity: awareness, attitude, analysis, action, and accountability. 21

This programming included critical race theory-inspired workshops on leadership and classroom instructional support, equity in Common Core Education, a so-called “equity walk,” 22 and state-level equity certification training. 23

EDEquity’s white paper on educational equity says the structure of American schools was designed to “accelerate those students and families who are able to confirm and validate a middle-class and Euro-centric construct” 24 and says “privileged middle-class white parents” believe in transformation for others, but not their own children. 25

In lectures in his role as EDEquity CEO, Edwin Javius said white educators will lose their “teacher privilege card” first, 26 said students in California weren’t learning because black and Hispanic students were being forced to conform to teaching strategies for white and Asian students, 27 and called school culture “fresh water” and black culture “salt water” while lamenting that culture, race, and socioeconomic topics have been taboo in schools. 28 “Making Cultural Connections in Lessons.” YouTube. Uploaded July 3, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W36g11iueIg.[/note]

EDEquity, Inc.’s partners included the New Teacher Center, California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA), California Alliance of African American Educators, the NAACP, School Improvement Network, and Educational Empowerment. 29

Funding and Controversy

EDEquity received its funding from program and service fees, including $342,000 of contracts from the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District from 2018 to 2020 30 and a $30,000 contract from Cedar Rapid Community School District. 31

In 2016, the Iowa City Community School District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, terminated its contract with EDEquity due to Javius allegedly misrepresenting his educational background and his alleged involvement in a pending plagiarism lawsuit. 32 33

EDEquity’s other contracts included schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Salt Lake City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada; Pomona, California; San Jose, California; and Nova Scotia, Canada. 34 35

References

  1. “EDEquity Promotional.” YouTube. Uploaded November 30, 2008. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNKmL64LBIw
  2. “EDEquity, Inc.” Parents Defending Education. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://defendinged.org/report/edequity-inc/.
  3.  “EDEquity, Inc.” Parents Defending Education. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://defendinged.org/report/edequity-inc/.
  4. “Equity Walks.” EDEquity. August 9, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive. November 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180809003346/http://edequity.com/equity-walks.php
  5. “State Certification Courageous Equity Leadership.” EDEquity. August 3, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive November 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180803090219/http://edequity.com/state-equity-certification-training.php.
  6. Javius, Edwin Lou. “White Paper. What is Really Educational Equity?” EDEquity. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://resources.aasa.org/nce/2017/handouts/Javius-WhitePaper.pdf.
  7. Javius, Edwin Lou. “White Paper. What is Really Educational Equity?” EDEquity. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://resources.aasa.org/nce/2017/handouts/Javius-WhitePaper.pdf.
  8. “Cultural Responsive Teacher.” YouTube. Uploaded July 3, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JX7Rcmq9FE.
  9. “Making Cultural Connections in Lessons.” YouTube. Uploaded July 3, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W36g11iueIg.
  10. “EDEquity, Inc.” Parents Defending Education. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://defendinged.org/report/edequity-inc/.
  11. “EDEquity, Inc.” Parents Defending Education. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://defendinged.org/report/edequity-inc/.
  12. [1] “EDEquity, Inc.” Parents Defending Education. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://defendinged.org/report/edequity-inc/.
  13. “Edwin Javius Bio.” Premiere Speakers Bureau. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://premierespeakers.com/edwin-javius/bio.
  14. “The Educational Diapsora Mourns the Passing of Dr. Edwin Javius, Founder, EDEquity, Inc.” Inland Valley News. March 12, 2020. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://inlandvalleynews.com/the-educational-diaspora-mourns-the-passing-of-dr-edwin-javius-founder-edequity-inc/.
  15. “EDQuity Board Presentation Highlights.” YouTube. Uploaded January 21, 2016. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttMZ6TngLEI.
  16. Javius, Edwin Lou. “White Paper. What is Really Educational Equity?” EDEquity. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://resources.aasa.org/nce/2017/handouts/Javius-WhitePaper.pdf.
  17. “Edwin Javius Bio.” Premiere Speakers Bureau. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://premierespeakers.com/edwin-javius/bio.
  18. Faraudo, Jeff. “Cal Basketball: Former Player Eddie Javius Dies After Brief Battle with Cancer.” Sports Illustrated. March 2020. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.si.com/college/cal/basketball/former-cal-basketball-player-eddie-javius-dies-at-age-54.
  19. “EDEquity Promotional video.VOB.” YouTube. Uploaded November 30, 2008. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvBpuv1Cel0.
  20. Tweet. Twitter. Posted August 11, 2019. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://twitter.com/edequity/status/1160632923415912448.
  21. “EDEquity Promotional.” YouTube. Uploaded November 30, 2008. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNKmL64LBIw
  22. [1] “Equity Walks.” EDEquity. August 9, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive. November 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180809003346/http://edequity.com/equity-walks.php
  23. “State Certification Courageous Equity Leadership.” EDEquity. August 3, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive November 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180803090219/http://edequity.com/state-equity-certification-training.php.
  24. Javius, Edwin Lou. “White Paper. What is Really Educational Equity?” EDEquity. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://resources.aasa.org/nce/2017/handouts/Javius-WhitePaper.pdf.
  25. Javius, Edwin Lou. “White Paper. What is Really Educational Equity?” EDEquity. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://resources.aasa.org/nce/2017/handouts/Javius-WhitePaper.pdf.
  26. “Race and Student Achievement.” YouTube. Uploaded July 2, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyWpDIcXNE0.
  27. “Cultural Responsive Teacher.” YouTube. Uploaded July 3, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JX7Rcmq9FE.
  28. “Making Cultural Connections in Lessons.” YouTube. Uploaded July 3, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W36g11iueIg.
  29.  “About.” EDEquity Inc. August 31, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive November 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180831183014/http://www.edequity.com/index.php.
  30. “EDEquity Inc.” Parents Defending Education. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowa-City-Schools-Let-Go-Equity-Consultant-368702001.html.
  31. “EDEquity, Inc. Consultant Service Agreement. Cedar Rapid Community School District.” Contract 2014-006 Year 1.” EDEquity. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1700156-edequity-contract.html.
  32. Hines, Holly. “Consultant’s firing might delay equity work.” Iowa City Press-Citizen. February 15, 2016. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2016/02/15/consultants-firing-might-delay-equity-work/80399244/.
  33. KCRG Staff. “Iowa City Schools Let Go Equity Consultant.” KCRG News. February 12, 2016. Accessed November 11, 2021. https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Iowa-City-Schools-Let-Go-Equity-Consultant-368702001.html.
  34.  “About.” EDEquity Inc. August 31, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive. November 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20180831183014/http://www.edequity.com/index.php.
  35. “The Educational Diaspora Mourns the Passing of Dr. Edwin Javius, Founder, EDEquity, Inc.” Inland Valley News. March 12, 2020. Accessed November 11, 2021. http://inlandvalleynews.com/the-educational-diaspora-mourns-the-passing-of-dr-edwin-javius-founder-edequity-inc/.
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EDEquity Inc

8351 Elm Avenue, Suite 104
Rancho Cucamonga, CA