Shanti Alliance Educators Join Together to Read Blindspot

During the month of July, Shanti Alliance educators from schools in Hawaiʻi, California, and Massachusetts came together weekly to read and discuss the book Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People, by Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald. Blindspot, based on the development and research outcomes of the Harvard Implicit Association Test, explores both the biases that we have (many of which are surprising even to ourselves), and how they influence our actions in personal and professional spheres.

The Shanti Alliance book club’s time together was defined by rich discussion and opportunities for insight and growth. Each week’s facilitator introduced strategies, such as questions for interpersonal connection, The Line Game, “The Good Thinker’s Toolkit,” and questioning strategies from Philosophy for Children, to structure our discussion of the book. 

Some of the questions that we discussed over the four weeks were: 

• How can we integrate discussion and reflection about unconscious bias into our work in schools? 

• What are some of our own personal unconscious biases, and what was surprising from our Implicit Association test results?

• How does unconscious bias influence both personal and institutional actions in schools?

We left the sessions grateful for our time together and for the opportunity to reflect in each other’s presence, with the commitment to put this summer’s learning into action in our schools. Many thanks to Chai Reddy and Sophie Halliday of the Shanti Alliance and to the Stevens World Peace Foundation for offering this wonderful opportunity!

Alain Sykes

Dean of Equity and Social Impact

Drew School, San Francisco, California

Shanti Teacher Fellow