“…a 35 minute interactive (online) course that explores the concepts of racial identity and racism, diversity, inclusion, sensitivity, unconscious bias, cultural competency, civility and respect.” By taking this course, “employees will gain a deeper understanding of …diversity and inclusion, and practical ways to choose inclusive actions and be an ally to underrepresented groups.”
This course was created shortly after George Floyd was killed by police last May. How can it even begin to meaningfully address all of these issues in just 35 minutes? To be honest with you, I have no idea. What I do know is that developing a working knowledge of each of these concepts is extremely difficult and would take considerable time and effort. Take the concept of racism in the workplace. Getting a handle on this complex and often misunderstood concept isn’t easy by any means. For starters, it requires deep thought, reading, research, and discussion. Rather than a deeper understanding, I think the best participants in this online course might hope for is a quick overview.
As a white male who spent years earning his PH.D. studying race at a Historically Black College (Howard University), I know how cognitively and emotionally challenging this subject is. As a professor with more than four decades of experience, race and racism were perhaps two of the most difficult subjects for students to discuss. And as an author of one of the best-selling college texts on diversity, one of my most difficult tasks was breaking down racism, and especially systemic racism, so readers of diverse educational, social class, and cultural backgrounds could understand and relate.
Recently, anti-racism training has become all the rage. A feature story in The Washington Post on the proliferation of this kind of training states, “It’s a good time to be in the anti-racism training business.” Indeed it is. Police brutality has triggered what’s described as newfound awareness that race is still a significant issue in the U.S., an issue we need to talk and do something about. The buzz around anti-racism training has also been fueled by recent racist comments from CEOs and others in high profile positions, institutional statements that yes, black lives do indeed matter, and a flood of media coverage on the subject of race and racism (both individual and systemic).
People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Traliant Diversity Training, Catharsis Productions, Overcoming Racism, Race Forward, Crossroads, and the Center for Racial Justice in Education are just a few of the burgeoning programs targeting racism. But I wonder if quality is being sacrificed for quantity.
To borrow from NIKE, are training programs more about just doing it? Is substance being sacrificed for style, especially with the explosion of online training in this area during the pandemic?
For example, how many of the organizations that signed up for the 35-minute course described above are looking for something to add to their PR statement? How many encourage their employees to take this course so they can check this box and move on? How many see online training as something quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive? Lastly, how many felt pressured to do this?
It’s been roughly six months since many corporations got on the anti-racism training bandwagon and made public their support for the sanctity of Black lives and the need to combat racism and racial inequality. It’s time to look at what was promised, what’s been done, and whether training has made a difference. If it has, what difference has it made? If it hasn’t, why not? And what’s next?
Links to more from Dr. Bucher:
Dr. Bucher’s Website for his book A MOMMY, A DADDY, TWO SISTERS AND A JIMMY: AUTISM AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES
Buy A MOMMY, A DADDY, TWO SISTERS AND A JIMMY: AUTISM AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES at Amazon.com
Dr. Bucher’s Facebook page on Autism
Dr. Bucher’s Facebook page on Diversity Consciousness
Anti-Racism Training: Substance or Style?
“…a 35 minute interactive (online) course that explores the concepts of racial identity and racism, diversity, inclusion, sensitivity, unconscious bias, cultural competency, civility and respect.” By taking this course, “employees will gain a deeper understanding of …diversity and inclusion, and practical ways to choose inclusive actions and be an ally to underrepresented groups.”
This course was created shortly after George Floyd was killed by police last May. How can it even begin to meaningfully address all of these issues in just 35 minutes? To be honest with you, I have no idea. What I do know is that developing a working knowledge of each of these concepts is extremely difficult and would take considerable time and effort. Take the concept of racism in the workplace. Getting a handle on this complex and often misunderstood concept isn’t easy by any means. For starters, it requires deep thought, reading, research, and discussion. Rather than a deeper understanding, I think the best participants in this online course might hope for is a quick overview.
As a white male who spent years earning his PH.D. studying race at a Historically Black College (Howard University), I know how cognitively and emotionally challenging this subject is. As a professor with more than four decades of experience, race and racism were perhaps two of the most difficult subjects for students to discuss. And as an author of one of the best-selling college texts on diversity, one of my most difficult tasks was breaking down racism, and especially systemic racism, so readers of diverse educational, social class, and cultural backgrounds could understand and relate.
Recently, anti-racism training has become all the rage. A feature story in The Washington Post on the proliferation of this kind of training states, “It’s a good time to be in the anti-racism training business.” Indeed it is. Police brutality has triggered what’s described as newfound awareness that race is still a significant issue in the U.S., an issue we need to talk and do something about. The buzz around anti-racism training has also been fueled by recent racist comments from CEOs and others in high profile positions, institutional statements that yes, black lives do indeed matter, and a flood of media coverage on the subject of race and racism (both individual and systemic).
People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, Traliant Diversity Training, Catharsis Productions, Overcoming Racism, Race Forward, Crossroads, and the Center for Racial Justice in Education are just a few of the burgeoning programs targeting racism. But I wonder if quality is being sacrificed for quantity.
To borrow from NIKE, are training programs more about just doing it? Is substance being sacrificed for style, especially with the explosion of online training in this area during the pandemic?
For example, how many of the organizations that signed up for the 35-minute course described above are looking for something to add to their PR statement? How many encourage their employees to take this course so they can check this box and move on? How many see online training as something quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive? Lastly, how many felt pressured to do this?
It’s been roughly six months since many corporations got on the anti-racism training bandwagon and made public their support for the sanctity of Black lives and the need to combat racism and racial inequality. It’s time to look at what was promised, what’s been done, and whether training has made a difference. If it has, what difference has it made? If it hasn’t, why not? And what’s next?
Links to more from Dr. Bucher:
Dr. Bucher’s Website for his book A MOMMY, A DADDY, TWO SISTERS AND A JIMMY: AUTISM AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES
Buy A MOMMY, A DADDY, TWO SISTERS AND A JIMMY: AUTISM AND THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES at Amazon.com
Dr. Bucher’s Facebook page on Autism
Dr. Bucher’s Facebook page on Diversity Consciousness