Archives April 2025

Spring is often seen as a time of renewal — a moment to clear out clutter, refresh your space, and create room for growth. But spring cleaning doesn’t just apply to our homes or offices. As educators, it’s important that we also pause and do some spring cleaning for our minds. That means recognizing and unpacking the biases we may carry — especially those that impact Black students in our PreK-12 schools.

Bias in education isn’t always loud or intentional. In fact, some of the most harmful forms of bias show up in subtle, everyday decisions — decisions that shape how Black students experience school from the time they enter preschool until they graduate high school. These biases often hide in routines, classroom expectations, grading practices, and discipline policies. And without regular reflection, these unchecked biases can create learning environments that unintentionally harm Black students by limiting their voice, punishing their culture, and lowering expectations for their success.

The first step in this spring cleaning of the mind is recognizing where bias might be hiding in our classrooms and school policies. It’s essential to ask ourselves critical questions. Who do we call on most often in class? Whose behavior gets corrected first? Are Black students allowed to show up as their full selves — in language, style, and personality — without being labeled disruptive or disrespectful? Far too often, Black students face discipline not because their behavior is more harmful but because their natural ways of communicating or expressing themselves are seen through a biased lens.

Research has long shown that Black preschoolers, for example, are suspended at higher rates than any other racial group. This is not because Black children misbehave more, but because of adult perceptions shaped by stereotypes. This adultification bias leads many teachers to view Black boys and girls as older, tougher, or more threatening than their white peers. In practice, this means a 6-year-old Black girl might get sent to the office for “attitude,” while a white peer exhibiting the same behavior is simply redirected or given grace.

To counteract this, educators must be willing to replace assumptions with curiosity. Instead of jumping to conclusions, we should ask, “What’s really going on with this student? What is this behavior trying to tell me?” Bias thrives in assumption but dissolves when met with genuine curiosity and relationship building.

Bias also shows up in what and who we teach. If Black students only see themselves in the curriculum during Black History Month, or if their only representations are tied to slavery, struggle, or civil rights, that sends a powerful message about whose stories matter year-round. Spring cleaning the curriculum means moving beyond a narrow view of Black history and ensuring that students are exposed to Black excellence, innovation, creativity, and leadership in every subject. Black students deserve to see themselves not only as survivors of hardship but also as creators, leaders, scientists, authors, and inventors.

This process of reflection must also include examining the language we use with students. Microaggressions — those small but harmful comments — can damage a student’s sense of belonging. Statements like “You’re so articulate,” when said with surprise to a Black student, or asking to touch a Black student’s hair, may seem harmless to the speaker but can feel deeply othering to the student. Spring cleaning our language means becoming mindful of how words uplift or harm and practicing language that affirms and respects every student’s identity.

Another area often impacted by bias is discipline practices. Traditional classroom management strategies often focus more on control than connection. Unfortunately, this approach tends to disproportionately punish Black students, especially when cultural communication styles — such as passionate speaking, playfulness, or expressiveness — are misread as defiance. Spring cleaning discipline practices means shifting from punishment to partnership. This can include using restorative approaches, providing students with opportunities to reflect and repair, and ensuring that grace and patience are extended to Black students as often as they are to others.

Finally, it’s important to remember that spring cleaning the mind is not a one-time event. It’s ongoing work. Unpacking bias requires daily commitment, humility, and reflection. It means letting go of outdated practices, assumptions, and stereotypes that no longer serve our students. It also means creating classrooms where Black students feel seen, valued, and celebrated — not just for surviving challenges, but for their brilliance, creativity, and humanity.

This spring, educators have an opportunity to clear away the mental clutter that gets in the way of authentic connection and equity. It’s time to sweep away stereotypes, dust off outdated curriculum, polish our language, and reimagine discipline practices that heal rather than harm. When we clean our minds in this way, we create room for joy, learning, and growth — not just for our students, but for ourselves as well. And that’s the kind of spring cleaning that leaves a lasting impact far beyond the season.

Dr. Campbell – CEO

Quarantine Racism Educational Services

Implicit bias, the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes we hold about certain groups, significantly impact education from preschool through high school. Even dedicated educators committed to fairness can unknowingly allow biases to influence grading and feedback practices, potentially causing inequities that negatively affect students’ academic growth, self-esteem, and long-term outcomes.

Implicit Bias in PreK-12 Grading: What It Looks Like

Implicit bias in grading begins early, often shaping educational experiences from PreK onward. Teachers might unintentionally expect less academically from certain groups, including students of color, English Language Learners, students with disabilities, or students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These biases can result in harsher grading, lower expectations, or inconsistent assessment practices.

In early childhood and elementary settings, implicit bias often appears in assessments of student behavior and social-emotional skills. Educators may misinterpret culturally influenced behaviors—such as differing expressions of respect, enthusiasm, or cooperation—as signs of disengagement or behavioral issues, negatively impacting students’ early educational records.

In middle and high school, implicit bias is especially evident in subjective grading of writing assignments, presentations, or participation. Teachers’ personal perceptions of language use, communication styles, or student appearance may subconsciously influence the grades they assign, leading to disparities in academic outcomes.

Implicit Bias in Feedback Practices

Feedback influenced by implicit bias can significantly affect students’ confidence and academic growth. Educators might unintentionally provide less specific, overly critical, or less constructive feedback to students from marginalized groups, limiting their understanding of how to improve academically. Conversely, students who align more closely with teachers’ implicit preferences or cultural norms often receive more encouraging and detailed feedback, gaining clearer pathways to improvement.

This imbalance in feedback quality affects student motivation and achievement over time, as students receiving unclear or discouraging feedback may disengage academically or doubt their abilities.

How to Address and Mitigate Implicit Bias in PreK-12 Grading and Feedback

1. Blind and Anonymous Grading – Implementing blind grading practices, where possible, reduces the impact of implicit biases. Particularly in upper grades, removing student names from assessments helps teachers evaluate work more objectively based solely on quality rather than identity.
2. Clear and Equitable Rubrics – Schools should develop and consistently use detailed rubrics for grading at all levels. Clear rubrics, communicated transparently to students and families, minimize subjective interpretation and ensure equitable assessment criteria from early childhood through high school.
3. Teacher Training and Professional Development – Regular training on implicit bias helps educators recognize and address subconscious biases. Workshops, webinars, and professional learning communities should explicitly focus on how implicit bias manifests in grading and feedback, providing practical strategies for self-reflection and improvement.
4. Structured Feedback Practices – Educators across grade levels should adopt structured feedback practices that emphasize clear, actionable, and balanced feedback. Training teachers to provide both constructive criticism and positive reinforcement supports equitable growth and helps ensure all students receive equally meaningful guidance.
5. Calibration and Consistency – Schools should regularly conduct calibration exercises, encouraging teachers to collaboratively review grading practices. Calibration sessions help educators develop consistent standards and foster open discussions about implicit biases, contributing to more equitable grading practices schoolwide.
6. Reflective Teaching Practices – Teachers should regularly reflect upon their grading and feedback patterns, intentionally examining differences across student demographics. Reflection tools, such as journals or collaborative peer discussions, help educators become aware of their implicit biases and actively adjust their practices.
7. Engaging Student and Family Voices – Actively seeking input from students and their families about perceptions of fairness in grading and feedback can illuminate biases educators might overlook. Surveys, family meetings, and student conferences provide valuable feedback, informing targeted improvements in school practices.

Creating Equitable PreK-12 Learning Environments

Addressing implicit bias in grading and feedback across PreK-12 schools requires a systemic approach. Educational institutions should proactively support educators through targeted professional development, explicit grading guidelines, consistent reflective practices, and ongoing community dialogue.

By implementing these strategies, schools can significantly reduce implicit bias in grading and feedback, promoting fairness and academic equity for every student. Ensuring unbiased assessment practices strengthens students’ confidence, motivation, and academic success, fostering a more inclusive and equitable educational system for all learners from preschool through graduation.

Quarantine Racism educational Services

CEO