Unconscious Bias in Schools: A Developmental Approach to Exploring Race and Racism, Revised Edition

by Tracey A. Benson, Sarah E. Fiarman, Glenn E. Singleton (Foreword)

In Unconscious Bias in Schools , two seasoned educators describe the phenomenon of unconscious racial bias and how it negatively affects the work of educators and students in schools. “Regardless of the amount of effort, time, and resources education leaders put into improving the academic achievement of students of color,” the authors write, “if unconscious racial bias is overlooked, improvement efforts may never achieve their highest potential.” In order to address this bias, the authors argue, educators must first be aware of the racialized context in which we live.

Through personal anecdotes and real-life scenarios, Unconscious Bias in Schools provides education leaders with an essential roadmap for addressing these issues directly. The authors draw on the literature on change management, leadership, critical race theory, and racial identity development, as well as the growing research on unconscious bias in a variety of fields, to provide guidance for creating the conditions necessary to do this work—awareness, trust, and a “learner’s stance.” Benson and Fiarman also outline specific steps toward normalizing conversations about race; reducing the influence of bias on decision-making; building empathic relationships; and developing a system of accountability.

All too often, conversations about race become mired in questions of attitude or intention–“But I’m not a racist!” This book shows how information about unconscious bias can help shift conversations among educators to a more productive, collegial approach that has the potential to disrupt the patterns of perception that perpetuate racism and institutional injustice.

Tracey A. Benson is an assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Sarah E. Fiarman  is the director of leadership development for EL Education, and a former public school teacher, principal, and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Genres: Race, Education

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good overview of addressing racial bias in school systems. It has a fair amount of narrative about the two authors and their working relationship, which I appreciated, but found myself getting frustrated at times because so much time is spent on massaging feelings of white people rather than expounding on the many benefits that students will experience by being taught by anti racist educators. While I understand that white people are often the barrier to progress, even those who are ostensibly anti racist or identify that way, I wish the book focused on the student benefits rather than the challenges and potential missteps from working with a staff. It’s a very good book but if you are hoping for a template to build from, you will need to consult other resources. However, there are some chapters that are fantastic and would serve well as a book club discussion. I do recommend the book if you are interested in the topic!

[Patrick Larkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critical read for all school leaders!

This book is a great resource for school leaders who want to start doing the important work of creating more equitable schools for ALL students. So many concrete ideas to start and/ or continue exploring race and racism as an individual or with a group!