An upcoming lecture on bias and racism will offer educators an opportunity for professional development. Jean Moule, Oregon State University professor emerita, will present “Understanding Unconscious Bias and Unintentional Racism” on Tuesday, March 13, at 6:15 p.m. in the Richard and Lucille Ice Auditorium located in Melrose Hall at Linfield College.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Certificates will be available for educators seeking CPU credit.
Moule will discuss microaggressions, “blink of an eye” incidents of racism which originate in unconscious bias and are unintentional in nature. Moule believes that recognizing one’s own biases is the first step toward improving interactions with others. The lecture will benefit all global citizens who wish to develop cultural competence.
Moule was an associate professor of early childhood and elementary education at Oregon State University. Her work has been published in many publications, including the Phi Delta Kappan, Teacher Education Quarterly and Skipping Stones, a multicultural children’s magazine. Her book, “Cultural Competence: A Primer for Educators,” is in its second edition. She is also past president of the Oregon chapter of the National Association of Multicultural Education.
“Dr. Moule’s work in the area of microaggressions is just what we need in the 21st Century United States, when most racism and other forms of bias occur in subtle ways,” said Gennie Harris, Linfield assistant professor of education. “Knowing how to confront such difficult-to-identify bias can be a struggle, yet Moule provides practical strategies for doing so.”
The event is sponsored by the Linfield Education Department and the Linfield Education Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi. For more information, contact Harris at geharris@linfield.edu or 503-883-2238.
