Biased

Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt, PhD, is a fascinating examination of a troubling topic. Dr. Eberhardt, who is black, has spent her career documenting the unconscious biases--mostly racial--that guide American behavior. She's an inviting author: she begins her book with a story of how she couldn't recognize her new peers when she switched from a mostly black middle school to a mostly white one. Beginning with this benign anecdote, Biased becomes increasingly more serious and alarming, highlighting everything from police traffic stops to death row convictions to the measurable benefits of "whitening" resumes. It's a terrific read. The information is well-documented, relevant, and sad, and understanding collective bias is a crucial first step towards any kind of meaningful change.

Dr. Eberhardt is all about change. She celebrates instances of organizations--the app Nextdoor, the Oakland Police Department--recognizing their own biases and taking measurable, institutional steps to mitigate it. Rather than denying bias or pretending to be colorblind, these organizations had the humility to acknowledge the problem and the moral courage to change their practices. While much of Biased is depressing, it is not hopeless. As a schoolteacher, I was challenged to acknowledge my own blind spots and prejudices. While I still have much to learn, I think differently about how I engage my students, and I'm better for it.