- Lasha Pierce MD
What a Student Looks Like- The role of Bias in the Media
Updated: Jul 22, 2018
As we gear up to start the premier school in the Bay Area (SILE school) and continue to
spread knowledge of restorative education thru AFRE, we find ourselves facing the
very bias we are attempting to de-weaponize. When looking for images to include on
our websites, social media posts, flyers, event postcards, newsletters, etc., advertising
sites that sell stock photos have a very specific, limited representation of what a
student looks like.

During our search for student images, most photos, not surprisingly are of white
children. When searching for African American or any African diasporic representation
of a student, we are faced with light brown students mostly with silky hair. It takes the
members of our Marketing group hours of painstakingly searching the web for images
that represent the vast shades of black and brown skin in our communities, along with
the equally diverse types of hair, dress and adornment. Many of the images of darker
students with kinky hair, show them less well groomed that than lighter counterparts, or
in less compelling poses.
There are rare photos of darker skinned children and almost none where the girls have
natural, kinky hair displayed (for examples we have not found afro’s, afro puffs, locks,
twist outs, etc.). Very few have braids. Boys as well, are difficult to find with afros,
locks, braids, or even fades!
This lack of variety exposes the common bias in the media around what is 1) attractive
to the (white) eye and 2) What type of “person of color” is most likely to be studious or
enjoy learning. Those biases creep into the classroom as well. Educators are not
immune to the constant subliminal messaging used to shape public opinion and
promote stereotypes.
At a recent AFRE Marketing meeting, this dilemma came up. How do we accurately
represent the communities which we serve in our advertising images with so few
options? We could create our own photo shoots of local children (which we have done
a few times and is both time consuming and unsustainable). Doing our own photos
runs the risk of them looking unprofessional, but hiring a photographer comes at a
financial cost. As a new non-profit still developing our fiscal strength, and with the
ambitious goal of transforming the educational landscape for African American
children, we must attempt to get our message out in a respectful, inclusive and
meaningful way, while at the same time being mindful of cost.
All students are capable of being studious. There is no typical profile of what a student
looks like. Students can be anywhere on the color spectrum; their hair can be more
coiled, wavy or straight. Hair styles don’t limit who can learn or who is more deserving
of knowledge. It is time we determine how we are represented and take off the cloak
of invisibility in academic spaces. We must always stay extra vigilant in the quest to
deconstruct negative narratives that reveal themselves about our children and their
place in the educational landscape