Modules

In this lesson, students will examine beliefs, attitudes, experiences, and behaviours that can perpetuate racism and contribute to the oppression of individuals and communities. They will consider how biases can be unconsciously formed, difficult to recognize, and sometimes harmful. Students will participate in bias exercises and/or reflect on examples of bias in commercial products as they consider the biases that all people, including themselves, carry with them every day. As students go through the lesson, they will

• look for and recognize bias
• explore examples of bias exhibited by organizations
• consider what it means to unpack bias
• reflect on their own biases

In this lesson, students will look at words they may encounter when engaging in discussions about racism and related topics. They will learn what inclusive language is and to avoid using words that can cause harm. They will

• understand vocabulary required to engage in conversations related to racism
• describe how language can be used to keep conversations safe and respectful
• understand the origins of problematic words and their impacts

The ongoing debate over the use of the N-word makes it, arguably, the most polarizing word in our society. The word is a product of an era of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, colonization, and the largest forced migration of human beings in world history. The fact that the word was created during this time and was used to describe and dehumanize people of African heritage problematizes its continued use. The word outlived the abolition of slavery and segregation, and the era of the civil rights movement.