On Equity: The Illinois Dilemma Revisited: A Response to a Response

Abstract

Purpose Aristotle writes that ...the source of battles and complaints is either that people who are equal have unequal shares, or that people who are not equal have equal shares, distributed to them.(FN1) Similarly stated, the issue is that equals have and are awarded unequal shares, or unequals equal shares.(FN2) This again comes to the fore in a Response(FN3) to our research on Illinois in which we analyze the equity, adequacy, and legal issues related to school finance. The Responders' quarrel with that portion of our research that addresses equity and create a de novo analysis, by treating unequals equally--an invalid endeavor fraught with difficulties to which we feel called upon to respond.(FN4) However, they accept what we consider the major contribution of the equity portion of our work--dissemination of a method to provide analysis for all districts in Illinois, including elementary, high school, and unit school districts. Previously, research resulted in three separate analyses, thus, begging the question of whether or not the finance system as a whole was equitable. The answer to that question, whether using the Responders' or our analysis, is an unequivocal no.