Historic and ongoing inequities in people’s ability to access infrastructure—including differential access to services and supports that advance health outcomes and differential exposure to challenges that threaten well-being—reinforce disparate health and economic outcomes by race. Such inequities begin prenatally and accumulate over the course of a child’s early years and through adolescence. Schools play a critical role in either perpetuating or interrupting these inequities, as they are both a venue for children and youth to receive the supports needed for healthy development and for encountering various health risks.
Alfred LaGarde