Character Update: A More Thoughtful Villain in Lesson 5.1

We've updated the villain character in Unit 5's Lesson 5.1: The Promise and Peril of Compound Interest. The character's design has been revised so the image can do its job (helping students see how compound interest can work for or against them) without leaning on a trope that could make any student feel stereotyped or singled out.

Where This Came From

Sallie Cunningham, an educator from Kentucky, reached out after teaching the lesson to point out that the villain character was drawn with dark tones. Associating light colors with good and dark colors with bad is a common unconscious bias, and we're grateful Sallie brought it to our attention.

We updated the character. It's one of our favorite kinds of changes: ones that come directly from educators paying close attention to how a lesson lands with their students.

We can't always act on every piece of feedback we receive, but when a concern is about whether students see themselves in the course and feel valued in it, that is something we will always take seriously.

Have a suggestion of your own? We're listening. Share your thoughts using the feedback form.

Bonus Teaching Tip

Representation is worth a second look in any lesson, not just the ones with an obvious character or story. Small design choices (who is cast as the employer, who is cast as the employee, who is cast as the decision maker with agency, and who is cast without it, whose name shows up in a given example, etc.) send a message, intentional or not.

The next time you're previewing a lesson, ask yourself: Would any of my students see themselves reflected in this material, and if so, how? Are any characters, names, or examples leaning on a stereotype? If something feels off, it’s worth it to take a moment and make a change.