Reality vs. Ethics: Challenging Implicit Bias in Counseling Education While Navigating the Revocation of Affirmative Action
Conference Strand
Ethical Issues in Professional Counseling
Abstract
Today, it is increasingly challenging for many universities to achieve proportional representation of underrepresented groups, and the revocation of affirmative action limits racial justice and equal opportunity in higher education. In particular, counselor education training programs have concentrated on more thorough multicultural and social justice education; nonetheless, those programs typically concentrate more on explicit types of bias. This presentation will discuss existing inequities along with recommendations for improving multicultural competence.
Evidence
Crook, Tylon and Crook, Torialyn, "Reducing Implicit Bias: Strategies for Educators, Counselors, and Higher Education Administrators" (2020). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 29. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2020/2020/29
Fitzgerald, C. & Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: A systemic review. BMC Medical Ethics, 1-18
Hall, William & Chapman, Mimi & Lee, Kent & Merino, Yesenia & Thomas, Tainayah & Payne, B & Eng, Eugenia & Day, Steven & Coyne-Beasley, Tamera. (2015). Implicit Racial/Ethnic Bias Among Health Care Professionals and Its Influence on Health Care Outcomes: A Systematic Review. American journal of public health. 105. e1-e17. 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302903.
Hinger, S. (2023, July 14). Moving Beyond the Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Rulings | ACLU. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/moving-beyond-the-supreme-courts-affirmative-action-rulings
Nadal, Kevin & Griffin, Katie & Wong, Yinglee & Hamit, Sahran & Rasmus, Morgan. (2014). The Impact of Racial Microaggressions on Mental Health Counseling Implications for Clients of Color. Journal of counseling and development: JCD. 92. 57-66. 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2014.00130.x.
Sue, D. W., & Sue, D. (2016). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Bernell L. Elzey Jr., is a Counselor Educator in New Orleans, LA. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Holy Cross of New Orleans in Counselor Education and Supervision and his M.A. in Counseling from Xavier University of Louisiana. Currently, Dr. Elzey serves as a Professional High School Counselor, Adjunct Professor in Counselor Education, and Owner/Practitioner of Conscious Therapy and Wellness, LLC. Prior to becoming a counselor, Dr. Elzey served as a High School Teacher. Additionally, he is President-Elect Elect of the Louisiana School Counselor Association and a Co-Chair of the Social Justice and Human Rights Committee within the Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision.
Dr. Tamara L. Tisdale is a Counselor Educator in Houston, Texas. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Holy Cross New Orleans in Counselor Education and Supervision and two Master’s from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas- an M.A. in Counseling & an M.Ed in Educational Administration. For nearly two decades, Tamara served as an educator, counselor, and advocate in the Texas public school system. Dr. Tisdale is an Assistant Professor at Angelo State University and psychotherapist/ owner of Matters of the Heart Counseling Services PLLC. Additionally, she serves as a Co-Chair of the Accessibility and Inclusion Committee within the Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision.
Location
Room 145
Start Date
3-7-2024 9:00 AM
Recommended Citation
Elzey, Bernell Jr.; Tisdale, Tamara L.; and Varnado-Johnson, Chantrelle, "Reality vs. Ethics: Challenging Implicit Bias in Counseling Education While Navigating the Revocation of Affirmative Action" (2024). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 2.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2024/2024/2
Reality vs. Ethics: Challenging Implicit Bias in Counseling Education While Navigating the Revocation of Affirmative Action
Room 145
Today, it is increasingly challenging for many universities to achieve proportional representation of underrepresented groups, and the revocation of affirmative action limits racial justice and equal opportunity in higher education. In particular, counselor education training programs have concentrated on more thorough multicultural and social justice education; nonetheless, those programs typically concentrate more on explicit types of bias. This presentation will discuss existing inequities along with recommendations for improving multicultural competence.
Description
In July 2023, the United States Supreme Court upheld the established equal protection law and eliminated the use of affirmative action in college admissions, which disregards prior precedent as well as the societal realities of race discrimination and inequality (Hinger, 2023).
Many universities are now finding it increasingly difficult to achieve proportional representation of disadvantaged groups, and the ban on affirmative action limits racial justice and equal opportunity in higher education significantly. Counselor education training programs, in particular, have focused on more extensive ethnic and social justice education in training programs; nonetheless, those programs tend to focus on explicit types of bias.
It is critical that professional stakeholders keep raising their level of multicultural competency in view of trends indicating an increase in the enrollment of racial minorities in counselor education programs.
Specifically, counselor education training programs have focused on more robust multicultural and social justice education; nevertheless, those programs tend to focus more on explicit types of bias. As a result, the implicit negative attitudes and stereotypes that have historically been a part of the American landscape continue to exclude students of color and make it more challenging to navigate higher education possibilities.
Raising our understanding of our own cultural worldview is at the heart of becoming multiculturally competent (Sue & Sue, 2016). This calls for awareness of both our hidden and explicit prejudices. The attitudes, prejudices, and stereotypes that unintentionally affect our perception, behavior, and decision-making are examples of our implicit biases. As such, the objectives of this presentation include the following:
Discuss how implicit bias can affect the development of future counselors
Discuss how the revocation of affirmative action affects counselor education training programs.
Identify strategies to navigate potential ethical dilemmas and increase multicultural competence.