Equality means giving all students the same opportunities and holding them to the same academic standards. It treats students as individuals and aims for fairness, regardless of background or group identity. 

Equity, as used in critical social justice ideology, means treating students differently based on group identity—such as race or gender—to reach equal outcomes between groups. In practice, this can mean lowering expectations, removing advanced classes, or redistributing resources based on group membership, rather than individual need. While it claims to promote fairness, it often results in unequal treatment and reduced academic rigor.