Unconscious Bias within the Educational System
Unconscious bias influences decisions and interactions in ways we often fail to recognize, yet it carries powerful consequences, especially in schools, where fairness, equity, and inclusion are essential. These biases can affect everything from classroom management to grading, expectations, and disciplinary decisions.
Our minds are wired to make quick judgments, often before we’re fully aware of them. Sigmund Freud famously described the unconscious mind as a force far more influential than our conscious thoughts. If we imagine an iceberg, only a small portion is visible above the surface while the vast majority lies beneath, much like our unconscious beliefs and assumptions.
Psychologist Timothy Wilson (2002) expanded this metaphor by suggesting our conscious mind is like a snowball resting on top of the massive iceberg of our unconscious. Most of our thinking, emotions, and decision-making occur below our conscious awareness.
Understanding Types of Bias
There are two primary types of bias:
- Conscious (or explicit) bias — attitudes or beliefs we are aware of and may openly express.
- Unconscious (or implicit) bias — social stereotypes or assumptions about groups of people formed outside our conscious awareness (Staats, 2016).
These unconscious attitudes often develop through exposure to cultural messages, media, societal norms, and personal experiences. They can subtly shape how we perceive and interact with others.
A Counselor’s Perspective: A Personal Story
As a school counselor, I strive to serve as a bridge between students, parents, and staff members. Unfortunately, unconscious bias can show up in subtle but impactful ways in our schools. One common example is reflected in school discipline records, which often reveal higher rates of disciplinary referrals for minority students compared to their white peers (Skiba et al., 2011).
I witnessed this firsthand with my own daughter, an African-American girl in kindergarten. Being a proactive mother, I attended the school’s open house and informed her teacher that we were new to the district, that shewas academically advanced for her age, and that she was also a talkative child. In hindsight, I wonder whether my disclosure unintentionally flagged her for closer scrutiny.
Over the following months, my child’s daily conduct notes consistently mentioned “talking in class.” At home, we addressed these behaviors with consequences, removing privileges and reinforcing classroom expectations. She would tearfully tell me, “My teacher is picking on me.” Like many parents, I dismissed her feelings at first, assuring her the teacher was being fair and that she needed to follow the rules.
Her motivation for school declined rapidly. She began experiencing frequent stomach aches and missed several days of school. Then, during a class field trip, I had the opportunity to quietly observe the classroom dynamics before we left. I noticed a white student out of her seat, talking loudly, and causing disruptions. The teacher never corrected her. Moments later, my daughter whispered to a friend beside her, and the teacher immediately reprimanded her, while the other child’s behavior continued unnoticed.
That experience opened my eyes to the subtle but impactful ways unconscious bias can manifest, even in early childhood education. It’s not always overt or intentional, but its effects are very real.
Moving Beyond Assumptions
Deconstructing unconscious bias is not a one-time event; it requires ongoing reflection, education, and intentional practice. Educators and parents must consistently examine their own assumptions, question patterns in how discipline or praise is administered, and seek to build culturally responsive, equitable environments for all children.
Small steps can make a significant difference:
- Reflect on patterns in how students are disciplined or rewarded.
- Seek diverse perspectives in decision-making.
- Create opportunities for open conversations about fairness and equity.
- Engage in regular professional development on cultural competence and implicit bias.
By acknowledging that we all carry unconscious biases, we open the door to making our schools safer, fairer, and more supportive for every child.
References
Staats, C. (2016). Understanding implicit bias: What educators should know. American Educator, 39(4), 29–33. https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/ae_winter2015staats.pdf
Skiba, R. J., Horner, R. H., Chung, C. G., Rausch, M. K., May, S. L., & Tobin, T. (2011). Race is not neutral: A national investigation of African American and Latino disproportionality in school discipline. School Psychology Review, 40(1), 85–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.2011.12087730
Wilson, T. D. (2002). Strangers to ourselves: Discovering the adaptive unconscious. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.