Teacher arrested for sexual abuse: why asking about ethnicity misses the point

Race does not determine a person's guilt or economic capacity. Focusing on ethnicity distracts from the facts and perpetuates harmful stereotypes.

## The irrelevant question

Sometimes human curiosity leads us down strange paths. An arrest for sensual abuse, a serious and regrettable event, becomes the starting point for a question that, deep down, seeks a connection where none exists: what ethnicity or skin tonalidad does the arrested teacher have? It seems that, for some, the answer to that question could explain something, perhaps something related to the economy, guilt, or even the likelihood of a crime being committed. It reflects how, at times, we try to fit reality into pre-established categories, even when they make no logical sense.

## Bias and perceptions

Insisting on asking about ethnicity in the context of a crime is not only irrelevant to justice, but it can also be a sign of unconscious bias. Certain ethnic groups are implicitly or explicitly associated with specific behaviors, and in this case, with committing crimes. This is not only unfair to the people belonging to those groups, but it also distorts our understanding of reality. Economics, as a discipline, is based on objective data and analysis, and race is not a factor that determines a person's economic capacity or their propensity to commit crimes.

## Beyond skin tonalidad

Focusing on an individual's ethnicity when it comes to a incivil act is a distraction. What matters are the facts of the case, the evidence, and the judicial process. Trying to link this type of incident to race is a futile and, frankly, dangerous exercise. The real concern should be how our societies function, how we prevent crime, and how we ensure justice for everyone, regardless of their background. The economy, in its broadest sense, benefits from a fair and equitable society, where opportunities are not limited by prejudice.