...How not to be racist ?

Question

So I got this assignment for my one college course and the first part was to interview someone of a different race about bias they have felt against them in their life time. 
Ok, cool. Fine with that part but I still felt it was a little weird. 
Then we get the second part of the assignment.

In case you can’t see it:
Once you have conducted the interview, write a one-two page reflection to answer the following:
◾️Summarize how your personal identity, past and present affect your belief about others. 
◾️Summarize your own bias before and after the interview. 
◾️Summarize strategies to overcome and prevent our biases from affecting our interactions with others in the workplace. 
And I’m just kinda like....uh. Is this a paper on how not to be racist ? I’m just kinda like what the fuck I feel like just writing, don’t be racist it’s not cool. 
The first question I understand, but the next two are just plain ducking weird to me. 
Like a strategy for overcoming and preventing bias?? How about don’t be a racist douchebag? Their shouldn’t be a strategy or a game plan on how not to be bias in the workplace lol. Just don’t do it. 
Disclosure:
****no I’m not looking for help with my assignment, I just wanna know if anyone else is kinda like what the fuck like I am or am I the crazy one here?***

Accepted Answer

I think this is a really cool assignment. Many suffer from implicit bias, and I think this is a very enlightening experience for everyone involved. Good on your school for doing this!

Answer

learned bias (“casual racism”) is EXTREMELY prevalent. many people don’t realize it. this presents itself in
-“harmless” stereotypes
-medical discrepancy 
-jokes (even if someone doesn’t “mean” it)
-many more
the majority of the time people do this without realizing it. the point of the assignment is to make people more aware of their actions and/or words that make marginalized groups feel uncomfortable or offended. 
in conclusion, i don’t think this is weird at all. i think it’s actually very well thought out and meant to be an eye opener for privileged people.

Answer

Clearly they need to talk more about what implicit bias is and how it’s just as damaging as overt racism, so that you’re better prepared for this assignment. 
Hint: you’re supposed to feel uncomfortable. It’s uncomfortable to confront one’s own biases.

Answer

This is a very common exercise. Don’t be racist is not enough. Absolutely every human being has internal bias. If you’re not willing to examine yours, you’re not doing enough

Answer

Sounds like you haven't reflected to see if you have any hidden, internal biases? This sounds like a good learning exercise because that's exactly what it is. Alot of people need to look deeper than just "don't be a racist douchebag" and they don't realize that they are still racist in less noticeable ways.

Answer

This is a great assignment! Take it seriously, don't just write "don't be racist". Have a seat and take a good look at yourself, identity problematic beliefs you've previously held, then write. You may think you're perfect but the reality is we've all said and done problematic things. We've had things to learn and unlearn

Answer

Sounds like you really need to take your time with this assignment and do some internal reflection. It's okay to have implicit biases; it's even more okay to recognize what they are and be aware of how to overcome them. Being a thoughtful, honest human being is not racist.

Answer

No offence, but this is an easy assignment. It's not a 'what the fuck' topic I'm afraid. 
It needs some internalisation and reflection. 
What did you think when your class mate was in front of you? Did you have any unusual thoughts about what they were wearing? How they looked? Their accent (if any)? Did you make assumptions about them? Did you assume they'd have an accent?

Answer

I think it’s naive to think we don’t all have biases and subconscious prejudices. Saying “just don’t be racist” is pretty ignorant and unhelpful imo. I think the questions are cool and a productive way to be progressive.

Answer

I don’t think you’re crazy, I just think you didn’t understand the point your professor is getting at. It’s not asking you to reach the conclusion “don’t be racist,” instead the assignment asks you to look at bias, which can be quite subtle and hard to identify. I agree with what others have said, it’s a good exercise in personal reflection. We all have implicit biases, it’s important to acknowledge and address them.

...How not to be racist ?

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