Welcome to the Equity in Schools and the Workplace course. My name is Eddie Fletcher. I'm an assistant professor in Career and Workforce Education at the University of South Florida. 

I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Missouri, my PhD from Ohio State University. Once I finished my PhD, I taught at Illinois State University for one year in their Business Education program. I've been at the University of South Florida now for five years. 

Career and Workforce Education is an interdisciplinary program. We typically have teachers and administrators that prepare students for the workforce. This course is Equity in Schools and the Workforce. So it's really preparing students to enter in the workforce, as well as enter into schools and to teach. 

The course covers some controversial issues. And it requires students to be very reflective in their own perspectives and perspectives of others. So I urge you to come to the course with an open mind and really embrace the content related to the inequities in today's society. 

I particularly want you to look at different inequalities as it relates to racism, sexism, and the impression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. And hopefully, you'll be able to explore some strategies to lead to the betterment of society and to make more equitable practices in the schools, workplace, and society. 

The main objective of the course is to prepare you to lead to the betterment of society. And I want you to be the catalyst for change in the society that you want to see. 

My reason for being in this field and teaching the subject is really because I like the teaching and learning process. I have a student-centered philosophy of teaching and learning. I believe students should be guided to their own ideas and interests they want to pursue. And I hope that I can be a facilitator for that type of learning.