Breadcrumbs

How Does the Bias Response Protocol Work?


By Kevin Medansky, Middle and Upper School Teacher of French and Francophone Studies

As learners, one of our most important lessons is that everyone makes mistakes. We misspell words, miscalculate equations—and although mistakes may appear to demonstrate a lack of mastery in a certain domain, they are also integral to the learning process. Indeed, they help us note the unique complexity of most topics, and if we foster a growth mindset, they may push us to improve in the future.

And yet, given Penn Charter’s values of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging, we must also recognize how essential it is that everyone feels safe and welcome at school, so our choices need to steward an environment rooted in compassion.

This is where the Bias Response Protocol comes in. Originally drafted in 2019 and published in 2020, this protocol helps students, faculty and staff recover after “a harmful incident… related, but not limited to ability, age, appearance, culture, gender, gender expression, gender identity, home language, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or social class.”

Antonio Williams, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Penn Charter, identifies this protocol as a tool to serve both “those who were targeted… and those who made the mistake,” while ultimately ensuring that “the students who feel targeted are protected.”

The protocol has five key steps: respond, report, assess, problem-solve and support. The first step takes place immediately following the incident, as we remind everyone involved of which behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable in our community.

Afterward, those involved should submit this form to document their experience. This helps Penn Charter maintain a written history of bias incidents on campus. Members of our School Inclusion Committee then read the report and meet to determine an appropriate path to repair the harm, restore each member of our community, and address any larger behavioral trends. As we strive to institutionalize our Bias Response Protocol, such that everyone feels comfortable using it to address harmful behaviors, we must all recommit to helping one another in the face of harmful incidents.

Most importantly, as Williams notes, the protocol is “not designed to eliminate the teacher’s authority in the classroom,” but to supplement their efforts in cultivating a just and inclusive learning environment.

While it is wholly normal to make mistakes at school, we must also reconcile how each of our choices impacts the safety and wellbeing of our peers and community members. This protocol ensures that harmful incidents remain in our institutional memory, while we push toward a restorative justice approach where appropriate.