Scientific Racism & Standardized Testing
You’re designing a workshop on the history of standardized testing. How would you explain its origins without reinforcing racist ideologies?
Emphasize that early tests were created by eugenicists to rank intelligence by race, and show how these tools were used to justify segregation and exclusion.
You’re curating a university ethics seminar. How would you present Philippe Rushton’s legacy as a cautionary tale?
Frame his work as pseudoscience that used flawed data to promote white supremacist ideas, and discuss the tension between academic freedom and hate speech.
You’re developing a youth mental health initiative. How would you incorporate social determinants into your program design?
Address housing, education, income, and community connection, and involve youth with lived experience in shaping the program.
You’re evaluating Canada’s NIHB program. What systemic issues should be addressed to improve Indigenous mental healthcare?
Reduce red tape, ensure providers have cultural competence, and hold therapists accountable for misconduct or colonial bias.
You’re presenting to policymakers about Indigenous youth suicide rates. What framing would emphasize the need for immediate action?
Highlight the 50% higher suicide rates, link them to intergenerational trauma and systemic inequities, and advocate for culturally specific interventions.
You’re advising a school board on equity in admissions. What concerns should you raise about test-based gatekeeping?
Point out how marginalized students are disproportionately affected, and advocate for diverse measures of achievement beyond test scores.
You’re reviewing a research proposal on race and intelligence. What ethical standards should guide your evaluation?
Require rigorous methodology, reject racial essentialism, and ensure the research does not perpetuate harm or pseudoscientific bias.
You’re training researchers to work with youth. What best practices should they follow to avoid tokenism?
Ensure youth are co-creators, prioritize cultural safety, and build long-term relationships with diverse communities.
You’re designing a culturally grounded mental health curriculum for Indigenous youth. What pillars should guide your approach?
Focus on connection to self, land, time, and community/spirituality, honoring ancestral wisdom and lived experience.
You’re building an antiracist education toolkit. What lessons from standardized testing and mental health research should be included?
Show how scientific racism shaped education and healthcare, and promote systems that value cultural knowledge, lived experience, and equity.