Latest news with #racialbias
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Harvard graduates slam Trump's international student crackdown
Harvard University graduates have slammed President Donald Trump 's crackdown on international students, although some admitted there is racial bias and antisemitism on campus. The alumni spoke with Newsmax about the controversies which have engulfed the prestigious college in recent months and placed it at war with the president. Trump has threatened to clampdown on international students amid accusations the institution fostered racial bias through DEI policies and allowed antisemitism to go unchecked. A Jewish student who graduated Thursday was among those who criticized the college's response to protests following the Hamas attack of October 7. 'My personal feeling was that the administration is trying to do things to get us more, feel more comfortable and be more safe in our place,' he told Newsmax. 'Having said that, there were many events that were held during the year that were always concentrating on one side of this hard discussion, and it wasn't the Israeli side'. Other students who reportedly expressed similar views told the outlet they were too afraid of a 'backlash ' to appear on camera, but told Newsmax's Sarah Williamson that there is racial bias and discrimination against Jewish students at Harvard. Other students were less reticent when it came to expressing their outrage over Trump's proposals to block international students from obtaining visas to study at the college. The president was hit with a temporary blow Thursday after a federal judge blocked the State Department from enacting the policy. 'You don't control Harvard. It's not a dictatorship,' one student fumed. 'This is education at its highest form. So this needs to be accessible to everyone.' 'I fully believe that we need to protect our diversity and make sure that international students are welcome and supported here at Harvard,' another added. A third said a ban on international students, 'would be a disservice to education' and 'a disservice to what Harvard offers to the world.' Trump said this week that the school should cut its population of foreign students — a fifth of whom are Chinese — from nearly 30 percent to 15 percent. He also accused university leaders of fostering a breeding ground for antisemitism, making Jewish students feel uncomfortable and unsafe. The State Department has now instructed US consulates and embassies to begin reviewing foreign student visa applicant's social media for antisemitic content, Politico reports. A large encampment of pro-Palestine students protesting the Israel-Hamas war formed on Harvard Yard during the 2024 spring semester and lasted for three weeks. The students wanted the university to divest from the Israeli government and Israeli businesses, but the administration did not acquiesce. Even before the encampment in April and May of 2024, there were widespread protests at Harvard immediately following the Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. One such protest descended into a confrontation where pro-Palestine demonstrators surrounded a Harvard MBA student and repeatedly shouted 'shame' at him . Claudine Gay, Harvard's president during much of this turmoil, resigned in January 2025 after she refused to condemn students calling for the genocide of Jews when pressed by members of Congress. Gay presided over billions of dollars in lost potential donations from wealthy Jewish families appalled by what took place on campus. And since Trump has retaken the White House, he has inflicted even more financial damage on the ailing college, freezing about $3.2 billion in federal grants and contracts . On top of that, Trump has cut $100 million in remaining contracts with Harvard. Harvard sued the Trump administration for the federal funding freeze and denies accusations of alleged bias against Jewish students. Lawyers for Harvard also argue that the attempted revocation of foreign student visas violates its free speech and due process rights under the US Constitution as well as the Administrative Procedure Act, a law that constrains what federal agencies are allowed to do. The letter demanded university leaders adopt merit-based admissions policies, stop admitting students who are 'hostile to American values', enforce viewpoint diversity in all academic departments, and immediately end all DEI programs. Officials explained that they wanted what amounted to progress reports on these goals sent to them so they could ensure that their orders were being followed. approached Harvard University for comment.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Harvard graduates reveal how they REALLY feel about Trump's international student crackdown and antisemitism
Harvard University graduates have slammed President Donald Trump 's crackdown on international students, but some admitted there is racial bias and antisemitism on campus. The alumni spoke with Newsmax about the controversies which have engulfed the prestigious college in recent months and placed it at war with the president. Trump has threatened to clampdown on international students amid accusations the institution fostered racial bias through DEI policies and allowed antisemitism to go unchecked. A Jewish student who graduated Thursday was among those who criticized the college's response to protests following the Hamas attack of October 7. 'My personal feeling was that the administration is trying to do things to get us more, feel more comfortable and be more safe in our place,' he told Newsmax. 'Having said that, there were many events that were held during the year that were always concentrating on one side of this hard discussion, and it wasn't the Israeli side'. Other students who reportedly expressed similar views told the outlet they were too afraid of a 'backlash ' to appear on camera, but told Newsmax's Sarah Williamson that there is racial bias and discrimination against Jewish students at Harvard. Other students were less reticent when it came to expressing their outrage over Trump's proposals to block international students from obtaining visas to study at the college. The president was hit with a temporary blow Thursday after a federal judge blocked the State Department from enacting the policy. 'You don't control Harvard. It's not a dictatorship,' one student fumed. 'This is education at its highest form. So this needs to be accessible to everyone.' 'I fully believe that we need to protect our diversity and make sure that international students are welcome and supported here at Harvard,' another added. A third said a ban on international students, 'would be a disservice to education' and 'a disservice to what Harvard offers to the world.' Trump said this week that the school should cut its population of foreign students — a fifth of whom are Chinese — from nearly 30 percent to 15 percent. He also accused university leaders of fostering a breeding ground for antisemitism, making Jewish students feel uncomfortable and unsafe. A large encampment of pro-Palestine students protesting the Israel-Hamas war formed on Harvard Yard during the 2024 spring semester and lasted for three weeks. The students wanted the university to divest from the Israeli government and Israeli businesses, but the administration did not acquiesce. Even before the encampment in April and May of 2024, there were widespread protests at Harvard immediately following the Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. One such protest descended into a confrontation where pro-Palestine demonstrators surrounded a Harvard MBA student and repeatedly shouted 'shame' at him. Claudine Gay, Harvard's president during much of this turmoil, resigned in January 2025 after she refused to condemn students calling for the genocide of Jews when pressed by members of Congress. Gay presided over billions of dollars in lost potential donations from wealthy Jewish families appalled by what took place on campus. And since Trump has retaken the White House, he has inflicted even more financial damage on the ailing college, freezing about $3.2 billion in federal grants and contracts. On top of that, Trump has cut $100 million in remaining contracts with Harvard. Harvard sued the Trump administration for the federal funding freeze and denies accusations of alleged bias against Jewish students. Lawyers for Harvard also argue that the attempted revocation of foreign student visas violates its free speech and due process rights under the US Constitution as well as the Administrative Procedure Act, a law that constrains what federal agencies are allowed to do. Harvard says the Trump administration is retaliating against it because it refused to obey the government's demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the 'ideology' of its faculty and students. The federal government sent a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber on April 11 claiming that the school has 'failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment.' The letter demanded university leaders adopt merit-based admissions policies, stop admitting students who are 'hostile to American values', enforce viewpoint diversity in all academic departments, and immediately end all DEI programs. Officials explained that they wanted what amounted to progress reports on these goals sent to them so they could ensure that their orders were being followed.
Forbes
24-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The High Cost of Anti-Blackness: Lessons from Google's $50M Case
Google settled a $50 million lawsuit by Black employees who alleged racial bias at the company. Recently, Google settled a $50 million lawsuit by Black employees who alleged racial bias at the company. The settlement included over 4,000 Google employees in California and New York, with plaintiffs making the case that Google kept Black employees in lower-level jobs, paid them less, lowered their performance ratings and prevented Black employees from advancement. The lead plaintiff, a Black woman named April Curley, alleged that Google hired her for outreach to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). While at the company, Curley claimed that Google prevented her from advancing, labeled her as an 'angry' Black woman and then fired her after a six-year tenure, as she was developing a report on racial bias at the company. In the class-action lawsuit filed by Curley and other Black employees, the complaint alleges that managers disparaged Black employees who were not 'Googley' enough, kept Black workers in lower-level jobs, paid them lower wages and subjected them to hostile comments. In addition, Curley claimed that Google kept her in a job that was not at a comparable seniority level based on her background and experience. Curley also alleged that Google didn't promote her or provide her with merit pay increases despite her 'stellar qualifications and performance.' She claimed that Google was reluctant to hire Black talent and subjected them to more rigorous hiring practices compared to their counterparts, asking Black candidates questions unrelated to the role they were applying for, to damage their interview evaluations. This is not the first time Google has been accused of discrimination. In 2021, Google agreed to pay $3.8 million to 5,500 employees and applicants in California and Washington state due to pay discrimination. Pay disparities were identified for female employees in engineering positions, as well as Asian females applying for software engineering positions. When there is more transparency and objectivity around workplace practices, this can lessen the ... More likelihood of employees leaning on their own personal biases to make workplace decisions. There are several steps that Google should take to prevent these types of situations from happening in the future; the first is frequent pay audits. It is unclear how often Google and other organizations conduct pay audits, but this is a practice that should be done regularly to address and rectify pay disparities across different populations. In addition, to mitigate systemic inequities, organizations should implement more objective processes into the workplace. This means introducing scorecards and rubrics for different workplace practices including recruitment, interviews, hiring and selection, and for advancement and promotion processes. When there is more transparency and objectivity around workplace practices, this can lessen the likelihood of employees leaning on their own personal biases to make workplace decisions. Despite the pervasive anti-DEI backlash, all companies must think about ways to implement frequent and ongoing education to ensure employees understand issues like racial bias and stereotyping, in order to mitigate workplace discrimination. Do employees, for example, understand how the angry Black woman stereotype shows up in the workplace? Do managers understand anti-blackness and how it can show up in decision-making? How do employees from marginalized communities internalize negative stereotypes about their own communities and how does this impact behaviors? Is everyone in the workplace aware of tone-policing and how it can manifest? Employees should be well-equipped with this knowledge and understanding beyond just a one-time workshop—education should be consistent and ongoing. In the current climate, it's important and necessary to stay abreast of all DEI-related news, particularly as it pertains to executive orders around DEI. Despite the DEI backlash, there are still many steps corporations can legally take to ensure that equity and fairness are cornerstones of the organization. There are steps that every organization should take to build an equitable workplace for Black employees. Understand that Blackness is not a monolith—frequently solicit feedback from Black employees to understand their experiences and parse out the data from employee surveys and exit interviews to better understand Black employee experiences. Frequently solicit feedback from Black employees to understand their experiences. Conduct an audit of your practices to ensure objectivity is embedded into workplace systems and consider different ways to hold leaders accountable for cultivating an inclusive and equitable environment. This could look like fairness, equity, and inclusivity ratings being part of leadership performance evaluations. Also consider integrating anonymous reporting systems into the workplace to better address issues of bias and unfairness before they snowball into bigger issues. Anti-blackness is a widespread issue in many workplaces. For Black employees who have experienced racial bias or discrimination, there are several steps that can be taken. It's important to document any incidents of discrimination. Employees can also try to find internal support networks to lean on, whether that is an employee resource group, a trusted leader or a fellow colleague. Consider consulting with external support networks for advice and guidance, which can include a mentor, a friend or legal professionals who specialize in workplace discrimination. Lastly, it's important to know your rights as an employee. Familiarize yourself with state and federal laws to understand what protections you have against racial discrimination in the workplace.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Maryland families see hope in new autopsy reviews of in-police custody deaths
Maryland families hope to see change as the attorney general's office reviews more than 40 deaths in police custody across the state. WJZ Investigates is continuing to follow a landmark audit that revealed many of the cases should have been classified as homicides but were often misclassified as accidents initially. ACLU response The cases, including the deaths of Anton Black and Tyrone West in police custody, hinged on the opinion of Maryland's former chief medical examiner, Dr. David Fowler. The audit found possible pro-police and racial biases in determining why someone died when they were restrained by officers. "I'm not aware of anything this sweeping in its scope and this damning in its findings," Sonia Kumar, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, said about the audit. Sonia Kumar and the ACLU previously secured a landmark settlement for the family of Anton Black, a teenager restrained by police on the Eastern Shore. It required the chief medical examiner to follow new standards. "From our perspective, we wanted more," Kumar said. "There were a lot of changes further that we thought were needed. You had a teenager who died after being restrained by three police officers, and the official cause of death at the time was listed as an accident. …The medical examiner claimed he died of bipolar, which is a mental health condition that does not cause death, and a heart condition that the family later learned was something that was completely benign." Fowler's testimony Despite Black's family sounding the alarm since 2018, it was not until 2021, when Dr. Fowler testified for Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, that there was a push to look more closely at past cases. "Dr. Fowler's testimony in that case was really important to educating the public about what was happening in Maryland," Kumar said. WJZ Investigates reached out to Dr. Fowler for comment, but he did not immediately respond. He retired in 2019. Now, it's up to the attorney general to go back through the cases in the audit and determine if any criminal charges are warranted. "Each of these cases presents an opportunity for reconsideration, and we'll be closely following," Kumar said. "So much of how we've gotten here is families not giving up… I hope the family members who have been engaged in advocacy and have really sort of put themselves out there feel vindicated, heard, and acknowledged for the first time. I think we can only go from there."
CBC
12-05-2025
- CBC
Why MIT researcher is calling for 'algorithmic justice' against AI biases
Joy Buolamwini is at the forefront of artificial intelligence research, noting the several ways AI systems have caused harm, through racial bias, gender bias and ableism. She is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, an organization working to make AI accountable. "The rising frontier for civil rights will require algorithmic justice. AI should be for the people and by the people, not just the privileged few," Buolamwini writes. Her research as a graduate student at MIT led her to call out Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and other tech giants — whose facial recognition systems failed to identify people of colour. The worst results were related to darker-skinned females. To make matters worse, this flawed facial recognition software was already in use by corporations and law enforcement agencies. She first discovered the limits of face detection as she was working on a creative computing project. "Face detection wasn't really detecting my face until I put on a white mask. It was Halloween time, I happened to have a white mask around. Pull on the white mask, the face of the white mask is detected. Take it off, my dark-skinned face, the human face, the actual face, not detected. And so this is when I said: hmmm what's going on here?" In the years since, she has been a fierce advocate for correcting algorithmic bias, which she says is a problem that will cost society dearly, if it isn't addressed. Here's an excerpt from Joy Buolamwini's Rubenstein Lecture, delivered at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in February 2025. "Show of hands. How many have heard of the male gaze? The white gaze? The postcolonial gaze? "To that lexicon, I add the coded gaze, and it's really a reflection of power. Who has the power to shape the priorities, the preferences — and also at times, maybe not intentionally — the prejudices that are embedded into technology? "I first encountered the coded gaze as a grad student working on an art installation…. I literally had to put on a white mask to have my dark skin detected. My friend, not so much. This was my first encounter with the coded gaze. "I shared the story of coding in a white mask on the TEDx platform. A lot of people saw it. So I thought, you know what? People might want to check my claims — let me check myself." "I took my TEDx profile image, and I started running it through online demos from different companies. And I found that some companies didn't detect my face at all. And the ones that did misgendered me as male. So I wondered if this was just my face or other people's faces. "So it's Black History month [the lecture was recorded in February 2025]. I was excited to run some of the cast from Black Panther. In some cases there's no detection. In other cases there's misgendering... You have Angela Bassett — she's 59 in this photo. IBM is saying 18 to 24. So maybe not all bias is the worst. "What got me concerned was moving beyond fictional characters and thinking about the ways in which AI, and especially AI Field facial recognition, is showing up in the world. "Leading to things like false arrests, non-consensual deep fakes as well for explicit imagery. And it impacts everybody, especially when you have companies like Clearview AI, that has scraped billions of photos courtesy of social media platforms. Not that we gave them permission, but this is what they've done. "So as we think about where we are in this stage of AI development, I oftentimes think of the excoded — the excoded represents anyone who's been condemned, convicted, exploited, otherwise harmed by AI systems." "I think of people like Porcha Woodruff, who was eight months pregnant when she was falsely arrested due to facial recognition misidentification. She even reported having contractions while she was being held. What's crazy to me about her story is that a few years earlier, the same police department falsely arrested Robert Williams in front of his two young daughters and his wife. "So this isn't a case where we didn't know there were issues. Right. But it was willful negligence in some cases to continue to use systems that have been shown time and time again to have all kinds of harmful biases. These algorithms of discrimination persist. And that's one way you can be excoded." "Another way is we have algorithms of surveillance. "Some of you, as you are flying home for the holidays or other places, you're likely starting to see airport face scans creeping up. And so the hand of surveillance continues to extend. "And then you have algorithms of exploitation. Celebrity will not save you. Lighter skin will not save you. We've seen with the rise of generative AI systems, the ability to create deep fakes and impersonate people, whether it's non-consensual explicit photos of Taylor Swift or Tom Hanks selling you a dental plan he's never, ever heard of. "
