This image is from a children’s vocabulary development workbook, where the exercise asks children to trace words. The words “happy” or “proud” are matched with images of white children, and “sad” and “angry” are paired with drawings of Black children. The Facebook user who shared this image in 2019 called out its subliminal messaging, which could lead children to correlate negative descriptive terms with people of color. The activity’s publisher, Carson-Dellosa, apologized and promised to change their illustrations to better promote diversity, inclusiveness, and positive representation of all races and cultures. 

discussion

How might this be an example of subliminal messaging?

How can biased subliminal messaging affect a child’s development and their perception of themselves and others in the world?

Have you ever noticed stereotypes or biases in educational materials? 

What steps can publishers take to ensure that materials they produce do not include harmful messaging?