Resident Assistants (RAs) at Florida State University (FSU) were given implicit bias tests as homework to reapply to be an RA.
Florida’s Conservative Voice (FCV) <a href="https://flconservativevoice.com/fsu-implements-critical-race-theory-test-for-housing-applicants/">obtained</a> screenshots of the tests from an unnamed RA they described as a “whistleblower.” The text, according to the outlet, asks questions such as “How warm or cold do you feel towards Black people?” and whether they “Prefer white people to Black People.”
For the “How warm” question, participants are given a scale of 0 to 10 with a confusing set of possible feelings, including “extremely cold,” “very cold,” “moderately cold,” “somewhat cold,” “slightly cold,” and “neither warm nor cold,” with corresponding answers for the “warm” side of the scale. There is no way for people to explain their answer, such as those who don’t skin color to determine how they will treat them.
The preference question is similar, with a list of statements regarding race preferences including “I strongly prefer White people to Black people” and “I like White People and Black people equally.” Again, there is no place for students to explain answers such as they don’t know whether they will like someone solely based on their skin color before knowing anything about them.
FCV noted that Lexie McGarvey, program coordinator for training and recruitment at FSU, assigned the test as “homework” prior to a zoom meeting. She also claimed it was “very important information.”
FSU told the outlet that the implicit bias test was “not tied to employment” for University Housing staff or resident assistants.
FSU <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/fsu-assigns-implicit-bias-test-as-homework-to-ras/">told</a> The College Fix that the test was about getting RAs to understand their implicit bias and was not required as a condition of employment.
“The test was used to facilitate dialogue that focused on bias as a general concept during a staff meeting for resident assistants. University Housing staff and resident assistants are not required to take the Harvard Implicit Association Test,” Amy Farnum-Patronis, director of news and digital communications at FSU, told The Fix in an email. “Completing the test is not tied to employment, nor is it required or used for student housing assignments or any other purpose.”
As The Fix noted, the “Harvard Implicit Association Test claims to measure the amount of racial bias of the test-taker, although critics of the exam argue the test itself is biased for its assumption that all people have implicit biases.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R-FL) Press Secretary Christina Pushaw told The Fix that the implicit bias test was a symbol of a larger issue at colleges and universities.
“Unfortunately, racial Marxist ideologies like CRT have infected many institutions, from schools to corporations,” Pushaw told the outlet. “Regardless of how rare or common it is, even one instance of discriminatory indoctrination is too much.”
The Fix also noted that implicit bias tests are used at numerous colleges and universities across the country, including the University of Iowa and the University of Oregon.

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University Assigns Resident Assistants Implicit Bias Test As Homework

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Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Tuesday that the state will require health professionals to undergo implicit bias training as part of the licensing process. 
The state’s Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL) sent an email to health professionals informing them that the change would go into effect on June 1, 2022. Under the new rule, bias training will be required for both new applicants and those who are renewing their existing licenses and registrations. 
According to the email, new applicants will be required to undergo a minimum of two hours of implicit bias training with a five-year window to complete the training. Renewing applicants must complete one hour of implicit bias training “for each year of the applicant’s license or registration cycle.” 
The email defines implicit bias as “(A)n attitude or internalized stereotype that affects an individual’s perception, action or decision making in an unconscious manner and often contributes to unequal treatment of people based on race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, age, disability, or other characteristics.”
In August, Whitmer declared racism a “public health crisis” and mandated implicit bias training for all state employees. Whitmer also created an advisory council to focus on issues affecting black people in Michigan. According to the <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/08/05/racism-michigan-governor-gretchen-whitmer-public-health-crisis/3297123001/">Detroit Free Press</a>, Whitmer said that black Michiganders are four times more likely to die from the coronavirus than their white counterparts because of “unequal economic and health care treatment and racism.
The training was recommended by Whitmer’s task force on racial disparities alongside a slew of organizations including “health professional boards, insurance providers, health systems, health care associations, legislators, state agencies, higher education, and community and advocacy groups.” 
In a statement on mandated implicit bias training of state employees, Whitmer claimed that training can make a “positive difference” in improving so-called “racial equity.” 
“COVID-19 has had a disparate impact on people of color due to a variety of factors, and we must do everything we can to address this disparity,” Whitmer <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2020/07/09/whitmer-implicit-bias-training-healthcare-professionals/3287034001/">said</a>. “The evidence shows that training in implicit bias can make a positive difference, so today we are taking action to help improve racial equity across Michigan’s health care system.” 
According to BLP’s email, the state’s implicit bias training will be related to “reducing barriers and disparities in access to and delivery of health care services.” 
The training must include the following elements: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Give “information on implicit bias, equitable access to health care, serving a diverse population, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and cultural sensitivity.” </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400"> Explain “strategies to remedy the negative impact of implicit bias by recognizing and understanding how it impacts perception, judgment, and actions that may result in inequitable decision making, failure to effectively communicate, and result in barriers and disparities in the access to and delivery of health care services.” </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Discuss “the historical basis and present consequences of implicit biases based on an individual’s characteristics.”</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400"> Discuss the “current research on implicit bias in the access to and delivery of health care services.” </li>
</ul>
The Bureau of Professional Licensing’s Director Debra Gagliardi told The Daily Wire that the organization has not considered which company it plans to contract for implicit bias training. 
“The sponsor of an implicit bias training program and the licensee are responsible for ensuring that the training is aligned with the requirements of the rules,” Gagliardi said. 
This article has been updated to include comment from Michigan&#8217;s Bureau of Professional Licensing.

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Mandates Health Professionals Undergo ‘Implicit Bias Training’ To Obtain License

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Racial Bias

The Washington Post recently published an <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/03/18/social-justice-antiracist-books-toddlers-kids/">article</a> quoting various authors, psychology professors and people who work with children suggesting that extremely young children should be taught about “social justice” and arguing that children as young as three months old are plagued by “implicit bias.”
The article starts by asserting, “In the era of Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, many parents are wondering when the right time is to talk to their children about social justice. Experts say it’s never too early, and a new wave of tools and resources can help start the conversation. You can enroll in a music class (virtually now) that develops understanding of gender and personhood. A drag queen story time will soon be a television show. And there are more and more children’s books that discuss intersectionality and broaden representation, plus flashcards and short videos that teach parent and toddler about anti-racism ideas.”
Then the piece buttresses the argument that young children should be targeted with training to make them more aware of social justice. Psychology professors Leigh Wilton and Jessica Sullivan of Skidmore College argue that children can develop implicit bias at the age of three months. Sullivan states, “Parents often report discussing topics, like death, with children when it comes up. Perhaps the trick, then, is to be intentional about noticing when and how race comes up in daily life, and using those moments as opportunities for discussion.”
Wilton echoed, “When you think about reading, you don’t say a child at 2 years old can&#8217;t read, so let&#8217;s not read to them or teach them to recognize letters. We begin building those foundational concepts early. Adults can help even the youngest of children begin to develop the social, emotional, and cognitive skills that will enable them to engage with race throughout their lives.”
Shauna Tominey, an assistant professor at Oregon State University, asserts: “From the very beginning, children look to the adults in their lives for cues as to how to respond to others, how to interpret what they see and hear, how to respond to people they meet or learn about. Even before young children can engage in conversations, they engage in ‘social referencing’ to figure out how to respond.”
Nicole Stamp, founder of ByUs box, which the Post describes as “a curated box of toys, books and curricula that aims to dismantle bias for kids as young as 2 years old,” states: “Teaching children to have an equity mind-set and strive for justice is giving them a crucial skill that will help them through life. … Some children don’t usually get to see kids like themselves reflected in the media, Positive representation validates them. … widening the lens to not just include but equally center other identities teaches an accurate and important lesson about what the world actually looks like.”
The article&#8217;s author, Natalie Jesionka, writes approvingly:
<blockquote>“<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481469096?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thewaspos09-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;creativeASIN=1481469096">Not Quite Narwhal</a>” “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525579648?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thewaspos09-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;creativeASIN=0525579648">All are Welcome</a>” and “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316070408?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=thewaspos09-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;creativeASIN=0316070408">The Family Book</a>” are some of the books celebrated by Canadian drag performance duo <a href="https://fayandfluffy.com/">Fay and Fluffy, </a>embraced by kids for their sparkly dresses, candy-colored wigs and zany children’s storybook readings.</blockquote>
The Post also highlights Kaleb Robertson and JP Kane, who “have been offering free drag story time in Toronto since 2016.” Robertson explains, “We want kids to have the tools and knowledge to accept all members of their community and celebrate their differences. So if they see someone with a beard wearing a dress, they are coming from a place of acceptance and understanding.&#8221;

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WaPo Article: 3-Month-Olds Have Implicit Bias; Train Those Toddlers About ‘Social Justice’

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University Assigns Resident Assistants Implicit Bias Test As Homework

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Mandates Health Professionals Undergo ‘Implicit Bias Training’ To Obtain License

WaPo Article: 3-Month-Olds Have Implicit Bias; Train Those Toddlers About ‘Social Justice’