Roots of Racist Policing Begin as Early as Preschool: Study

The dehumanizing racial bias at the heart of a series of police killings of Blacks can be detected in pre-school classrooms, according to a new study released by the Yale Child Study Center. which identified signs of implicit bias towards Black children, particularly boys, in preschool teachers.

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The study analyzed more than 130 preschool teachers watching videos of children and how they looked for “challenging behavior” in the classroom. Using eye-tracking technology, the study said that the teachers “show a tendency to more closely observe Black students, and especially boys, when challenging behaviors are expected.”

The children used in the videos were actors and did not show any signs of challenging behavior, but the teachers were told to anticipate troublesome behaviors. The study’s eye tracking saw that teachers spent 42 percent of the time watching Black boys, followed by white boys at 34 percent, white girls at 13 percent and black girls who were watched for 10 percent of the time.

Researchers say that teachers expect more problems from Black children, especially Black boys, and often don't realize their implicit reactions toward their students. The study helps to explain why Black students are suspended from school at much higher rates than their white counterparts, and much higher rates of incarceration for Black men, even though statistics show that they commit crimes and use drugs at lower rates than white men.

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As part of the study, teachers were also asked to assess the behavior of different students based on a short narrative in which the students are given stereotypical "white" and "Black" names and to suggest punishments based on the behavioral assessments.

White teachers suggested more lenient punishments for children that they assumed were Black, but so too did Black teachers who are typically more strict with Black children and hold them to a higher standard of behavior.

Researchers hinted that the this may be due to “a belief that black children require harsh assessment and discipline to prepare them for a harsh world.”

“Implicit biases do not begin with Black men and police. They begin with Black preschoolers and their teachers, if not earlier. . . Implicit bias is like the wind: You can’t see it, but you can sure see its effects,” said lead researcher, Walter S. Gillian.