[nfbwatlk] Mandatory and most Diversity Training Ineffective, Washington Post, 1/20/08

[Carl Jarvis]

Very enlightening.  I would change the lead-in to read, Mandatory rather 
than Most.
"Most diversity training efforts at American companies are ineffective"

It all boils down to a lesson Blind People learned a long time ago.  You 
don't change long established attitudes
through short term training.
I remember Cathy's frustration nearly 18 years ago, when she was running the 
Seattle paralegal unit.  She and her entire staff were required to take 
diversity training.  If I recall correctly, it was a three session program. 
Anyway, the way you proved you'd taken the training was to put your name on 
the sign-in sheet at each meeting.  Many of her staff slept, read or 
whispered during the training.  You can bet that there was no test to check 
to see if the training had any impact.  But the sign-in sheets were 
carefully kept by the personnel office.  The purpose of this training 
appeared to be aimed at protecting the city, in case anyone ever filed a 
complaint or took legal action.
Nothing changed in her office.  While there is no way of testing this, it 
seemed there were increased diversity issues after the training.

Carl Jarvis