A panel discussion on methods that help children resist pre-conceived biases and prejudices will be held tonight as part of this week's events honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The event, "Anti-Bias Parenting and Teaching: Preparing our Children to Live in a World Free of Bias," will begin at 7:30 tonight in the HUB Fishbowl.

"(Prejudice) just doesn't involve parents. It has to do with peers, siblings and different issues in the media," said Terrel Jones, discussion moderator and newly appointed University special assistant to the provost.

"One has to be very vigilant on how one impact's children," he said.

Various types of literature that affect children will be talked about, said Jones, former associate director of Campus Life.

"Fairy tales teach values and conceptions about African-Americans and the differences between women and men. Such as 'Sambo' and 'Cowboys' and Indians,' " he said.

"In order to enable children to live in a diverse world we need to teach children to be more accepting and flexible with people from different cultures," said Mollie Jackson (graduate-education).

Jackson, who is also a graduate assistant at CEDAR child development center will be one of five panelists involved in the discussion.

"I encourage children to talk to people about differences in the classroom," Jackson said.

She said, for example, when children ask questions like "why is that person in a wheel chair,"or "why is their skin brown," it is important that teachers and parents stress that nothing is wrong with being different.

The event is being sponsored by the Centre County chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

"The organization is dedicated to increasing the awareness of parents, teachers, child-care workers and University students of how their influences have a profound effect on the education of young children," said Rose Park, a member of the organization.

Other panelists include: Sharlene Marbury, PSU Bookstore children's book specialist; Rabbi Jeff Eisenstat, community member and parent; Leigh O'Brien, doctoral candidate and department of education faculty member and Richard Kaiser, former president of PSU American Indian Association.

The panel discussion will proceed with each panelist stating their viewpoint for five minutes. A question and answer session will follow and Jones will summarize the event.