Dr. Brian Renauer, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University (and SES parent of two), will lead our next Parent Equity Night in an exploration of “implicit bias.” We often think of bias as being a conscious part of our thinking and decision-making. However, recent research has shown that biases against certain persons or groups can come from unconscious sources. In other words, we may not even realize this type of bias. “Implicit bias” means we do not always have conscious, intentional control over the processes of social perception, impression formation and judgment that motivate our actions. This becomes even more pronounced when making split-second decisions that often occur in law enforcement settings.

Dr. Renauer will engage the group in a general discussion of implicit bias, focusing on Harvard’s Implicit Bias Project and illustrating some findings from research conducted in criminal justice settings. If you’d like to learn about implicit bias before the meeting, you can read about The Harvard Implicit Bias Project. You can also take the implicit association test, which has been taken by more than two million people, to explore your own potential implicit biases.

We need to know the approximate number of attendees prior to this meeting. Please email Amy Kleiner at akleiner@pps.net to RSVP. In that email, please also let Amy know if your family will need middle school childcare services and/or translation services. RSVPs are appreciated no later than March 6. Pizza will be provided for kids and adults.