Annual You're a Racist Training Video

[financeguy]

I just took my school's annual mandated diversity ("you're a racist") training video. This lasted a short period of time if you just click through, which was fairly easy to do with this once since there was no audio the user was not allowed to bypass, only text. The last section focused on different types of bias and the last one was group think. I'm awaiting my weight loss training video sponsored by McDonald's any day now.

[writingprof]

I wish I could just click through, but, psychopath that I am, I always have to argue with them a bit.  Then again, perhaps the videos used by my institution are of a different kind.  We have to answer some questions, then watch a presentation, then re-answer the questions using our reeducation.  I like to f--k with them by going from Harmless Caveman in round one to Hitler Resurrected in round two.

[mahagonny]

Is it possible to just decline to answer? Or alternatively, I might just randomly answer without giving any thought to the impression I'm creating. Like just randomly hitting things on the keypad. And of course, you can always give them the answers they want and expect. Confess. Redeem yourself, from the accepted point of view, and get it done. What difference does it make? The people who are fixated on such theories as 'implicit bias' and 'institutional racism' don't really have any resolution that's grounded in reality in mind anyway. They are just enjoying their moment of standing out there in the spotlight with big balls. It will pass.
'Never tell the truth to people who aren't worthy of it.' - Mark Twain
It is an assault on your identity, and identity you did not choose. Of course, you know this already. And the people who don't know it, refuse to know it.

[mahagonny]

I wish I could just click through, but, psychopath that I am, I always have to argue with them a bit.  Then again, perhaps the videos used by my institution are of a different kind.  We have to answer some questions, then watch a presentation, then re-answer the questions using our reeducation.  I like to f--k with them by going from Harmless Caveman in round one to Hitler Resurrected in round two.

Hilarious. But you have tenure so...or maybe they are anonymous? I am suspicious of anything done on a computer being trace-proof. However I am considering following your lead.

The climate in our faculty union now is if you didn't vote against Trump you're indecent.

This is a great forum!

[writingprof]

I wish I could just click through, but, psychopath that I am, I always have to argue with them a bit.  Then again, perhaps the videos used by my institution are of a different kind.  We have to answer some questions, then watch a presentation, then re-answer the questions using our reeducation.  I like to f--k with them by going from Harmless Caveman in round one to Hitler Resurrected in round two.

Hilarious. But you have tenure so...or maybe they are anonymous? I am suspicious of anything done on a computer being trace-proof. However I am considering following your lead.

Yes, I do have tenure.  More importantly, though, I have a canary in the coal mine.  A colleague of mine is even farther right and even less shy about it.  If they fire him, I'll clean up my act.

[mahagonny]

Speaking of f***ing them up, which they are vigorously asking for, how could you force their hand? Could you for example, ask them to state unequivocally that a vote for Donald Trump will have signified that one is either racist or does not have any objection to racism? There is really no doubt that they have broad consensus among themselves about that. I think we deserve an honest answer. They should be able to admit that in their view voting to either condone or promote racism shows fundamental unpreparedness to engage in antiracism training in good faith, and must be brought into the discussion before serious progress can happen.
Even if you agree that (1) Trump is racist and (2) he actively courts the racist vote there is still along way to go for anyone to posit that it is unacceptable for any American to vote for him under any conditions on that basis. How many white supremacists are there in the USA currently? Is the number not even enough to fill one football stadium as Tucker Carlson says, or is the number the population of Buffalo New York or more? Makes a big difference. Threats to our country should be seen as measurable in strength and potential for harm. It's the voter's job.
Still, if they are sure you can't vote for Trump and be open minded enough to try to improve yourself with anti-racism training, let them stand by it. We've had four long years to get know him and ourselves.

Then we could get them into a position where they require forfeiting your voting rights in exchange for employment. Which could open the door for legal challenges...? I dunno. I'm a layperson ruminating over it.

[wareagle]

Years ago following complaints from Native American students, my entire campus was forced to undergo "you're a racist" training.  The complaints stemmed from inappropriate student behavior, but only faculty and staff had to do the training.  Online tripe, utterly predictable.  I had my then-8-year-old son do the quiz for me at the end.  Needless to say, I scored poorly.  There was no follow-up.  It was a meaningless exercise and everyone, including the president who mandated it, knew it.

[mahagonny]

Years ago following complaints from Native American students, my entire campus was forced to undergo "you're a racist" training.  The complaints stemmed from inappropriate student behavior, but only faculty and staff had to do the training.  Online tripe, utterly predictable.  I had my then-8-year-old son do the quiz for me at the end.  Needless to say, I scored poorly.  There was no follow-up.  It was a meaningless exercise and everyone, including the president who mandated it, knew it.

That's good news. They are meaningful to people who would be dangerous if put in charge.

[wareagle]

What was frustrating was that the students, whose behavior was clearly egregious, got off scot-free, and those of us who worked hard to provide opportunity for the Native students got punished.

[writingprof]

. . . and those of us who worked hard to provide opportunity for the Native students got punished.

See, that's where you went wrong.  Working hard never leads to good outcomes.

[mahagonny]

. . . and those of us who worked hard to provide opportunity for the Native students got punished.

See, that's where you went wrong.  Working hard never leads to good outcomes.

Wild guess: you are Caucasian.

[polly_mer]

I miss the sexual harassment trainings that were always done as a group and terms had to be explained to the foreign nationals to explain why those things were wrong.  Just explaining why an invitation to do body shots was inappropriate usually crossed the line into inappropriate.

Nearly every year, a 20ish intern (summer college student) would stand up in front of all the male engineers and the poor manager to explain why she was angry that anyone would think she couldn't deal with any sexist language or something like a swimsuit calendar.

For the next month, we'd all be joking in the hall along the lines of "it's a good think they trained us on how to properly sexually harass because otherwise this place would be very boring."

The "You're a Racist Trainings" are much less fun...except for the ones that include implicit bias.  Those are still a hoot as the novice from HR encounters elderly defense engineers for the first time (AKA people who are quite angry about the waste of their time and cannot be fired for anything short of a felony).

[financeguy]

My irritation level is higher than most since I have to take so many of them or sometimes the same one at multiple institutions. I have the one at my main institution, the one where I occasionally adjunct when a need arises, the one where I consult to update the online platform for any changes in law or facts from year to year, and then another one for an unusual "niche" government speaking on-call contract in my field related to the military. Even though I may only give a speech two times a year or update a few numbers to reflect annual changes, they are mandated for "all employees" and thus I have to do them annually.

[writingprof]

. . . and those of us who worked hard to provide opportunity for the Native students got punished.

See, that's where you went wrong.  Working hard never leads to good outcomes.

Wild guess: you are Caucasian.

What's the point of having "privilege" if you aren't going to rest on it?

[mahagonny]

My irritation level is higher than most since I have to take so many of them or sometimes the same one at multiple institutions. I have the one at my main institution, the one where I occasionally adjunct when a need arises, the one where I consult to update the online platform for any changes in law or facts from year to year, and then another one for an unusual "niche" government speaking on-call contract in my field related to the military. Even though I may only give a speech two times a year or update a few numbers to reflect annual changes, they are mandated for "all employees" and thus I have to do them annually.

One of my schools has some seminars at the beginning of the winter term. Fortunately part timers get paid for attending. They are not required, but I always go for the money and, when I'm lucky, education. This year's theme is, (are you ready for a shock?) how to understand the work ahead in being anti-racist. Many one the seminars have a strong dose of diversiphoria, but not all. General rule: the more frequently you hear the word 'diversity' the less tolerance in the room.
At least they pay us, which is appreciated, and comes at a good time. The keynote speaker will be a heavy hitter in the number one challenge facing Americans today, racism. Of course it's remote. If I mute the sound, they won't hear me snoring, which has been an issue in the past.

. . . and those of us who worked hard to provide opportunity for the Native students got punished.

See, that's where you went wrong.  Working hard never leads to good outcomes.

Wild guess: you are Caucasian.

What's the point of having "privilege" if you aren't going to rest on it?

Laden with irony.