Leading Equity. Sheldon L. Eakins

bias and prejudice, it may be a little difficult because of your fear of being accused of being racist.

Understand that we all have biases and being racially biased does not make you racist. It simply could be a matter of unfamiliarity with groups outside your day-to-day social settings no matter what racial or ethnic background with which you identify. I challenge you to develop authentic relationships with individuals who are different than you. Yes, it's important for your students to see you take more interest in their backgrounds, but also the relationships that we've formed outside the classroom can have an impact on implicit bias. Developing relationships with individuals outside your social and group circle may help decrease your prejudices and alter your view of negative stereotypes. Additionally, getting to know other cultures, especially the cultures of your school's community, helps you become more receptive to the diverse students in your classroom.