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CSTA: Google Surveying Educators On Unconscious Biases of Students, Parents

Posted by timothy on from the what-weren't-you-thinking? dept.

theodp writes: According to a Computer Science Teachers Association tweet, Google is reportedly asking educators to assess the unconscious bias of students and their parents for the search giant. "We are in the early stages of learning how unconscious bias plays out in schools, and who would benefit most from bias busting materials," begins the linked-to 5-page Google Form, which sports a ub-edu@google.com email address, but lists no contact name. "This survey should take 15 minutes to complete, and your responses are confidential, meaning that your feedback will not be attributed to you and the data will only be used in aggregate form." The form asks educators to "list the names of organizations, tools, and resources that you have used to combat unconscious bias," which is defined as "the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner." A sample question: "Who do you think would benefit most from unconscious bias training at your school (or program)? Rank the following people in order (1=would most benefit to 5=would benefit least) training: Student, Parent (or guardian), Teacher (or educator), Guidance counselor, Principal." Google deflected criticism for its lack of women techies in the past by blaming parents' unconscious biases for not steering their girls to study computer science, suggesting an intervention was needed. "Outreach programs," advised Google, "should include a parent education component, so that parents learn how to actively encourage their daughters."

5 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah, blame the parents by MikeRT · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Of course the reason they didn't steer their daughter into computer science is "bias" and not "we are the two people who know our daughter the most for the last 18 years of her life and most likely can steer her toward what would make her happy." Because the happiness of diversity coordinators matters more the happiness of the actual women being fought over here.

    1. Re:Yeah, blame the parents by Sique · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Parents and grand-parents who give their daughters princess dresses for christmas and act gleefully if the daughter wear it, express a bias.

      Shocking that parents are happy when their daughters like feminine things. It's almost like they don't think they're defective males and their views on clothing is orthogonal to computer issues.

      You got it reversely. At first, it's the parents and the grand parents and other relatives who gives princess clothes as presents and then act gleefully. Only after that positive reaction, girls show interest in being a princess, and then parents and grand parents give new girlish presents and again show happiness if the girl smiles. Don't underestimate the amount of impression you make on a child until it conciously expresses interest in some thing and disdain for others! Each toy shop with "girl aisles" and "boy aisles" enforces the gender disparities. Each clothing shop with pink clothing for girls and blue clothing for boys enforces the disparities again. You radiate a message to the child with your bias, which behaviour you consider normal and acceptable and which one you would rather classify as non-typical.

      I've seen it unravelling with my daughter. At first she showed interest in the stuff her older brother played with, and in the neighborhood, there were (just by chance) mainly boys. Then a new family moved in with two daughters, and suddenly princesses and horses were all the rage. But when the family left again, the interest in both diminished, princesses were forgotten very soon, horses were of interest until age 9, and now she's mainly interested in computer games, watches countless "lets play" videos, bought a Wii U and a PS4 from the money she begged from the relatives instead of birthday and christmas presents, refuses to wear dresses at all, and in junior high, she took Robotics as optional topic. She likes dystopial novels and movies. And no, she doesn't want to go into STEM, she wants to become a writer for a living (I don't know how this will work out in the end).

      People who discount the enormous environmental influences on the choices of young people and who believe in a "natural" interest of boys into STEM and of girls into everything non-STEM seem to be oblivious of the actual situation.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    2. Re:Yeah, blame the parents by Oligonicella · · Score: 3, Interesting

      No, "unconscious bias" is a false claim leveled because it's not possible to disprove - or prove. It's an phrase used in argumentation, no more.

  2. Re:Parents' superpower by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Ahh MaiMoJo. As predicable as radioactive decay. Blame, deflect, and attack social status, throwing some ad hominem whenever possible and only show up for debates that provide opportunity to women or remove accountability for their own decisions.

    Never respond to any criticism or logical retort and don't forget to use sweeping statements, prejudice, and open ended responses with hardly an explanation behind them. But hey, at least you only get modded up for the first few hours, then back down it goes.

  3. Re:Please Stop. Enough. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Yes, I do not believe them.

    As soon as I see major feminist campaigns to get more women into, oh I don't know, lets say garbage collection and mining, two industries in which they seem very under-represented, then I'll stay skeptical about their motives.