Dewey (1916) described the attainment of education as a necessary tool for the establishment and sustainability of progress. Education, attending to the good of the public, is designed to instill knowledge in the constituencies it serves (Kezar 2005). Further, Woods (2004) described the design of education, its services and responsibilities, as an enterprise that promotes ethical, active engagement and respect for everyone. However, disconnects between theory and practice exist as education in the United States functions to empower some while marginalizing and oppressing others. This chapter, through a critical lens, will juxtapose ideals of equality and equity to discuss how integrating criticality and identity development into educational praxis will assist in creating inclusive, equitable practice prepared to meet the needs of learners from low socioeconomic backgrounds.