Students taking lab science courses at Berkeley High School in California face loss of a substantial amount of instructional time next year, in order to free up funding for unspecified “equity programs.”

“Equity,” as it’s used in the People’s Republic of Berkeley, seems to mean whatever the speaker believes will close “the achievement gap,” which is virtually an obsession in the district. After all, no one wants to be seen as hostile to “equity.”

Supporters of the current system, in which lab science classes meet for six periods a week (and Advanced Placement lab classes for seven), cite the school’s outstanding performance on AP exams, and the opportunity to use the extra time to help struggling students.

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Some critics, on the other hand, feel that not enough of the right kind of people are taking the courses that benefit from additional lab time.  Some even come right out and say it: too many whites take those courses. (more…)