Many parents want their children to grow up colorblind. When KEYE–TV Judy Maggio’s daughter was a preschooler, she never pointed out differences in skin color or labeled people by race. It was a well-intentioned but apparently, misguided approach.
 
New research at the University of Texas shows racial profiling starts at a very young age. You don't need to say a word for young children to pick up on people's skin color. They see black and white. They see segregation in many schools, churches and neighborhoods.

Though we now have a black president who has brought racial issues to light, UT psychologists say it has done little to combat stereotypes that children form even before they start school.

“We know that the process starts very early in development. Many parents we meet say their child doesn't notice race yet, and they are colorblind. They play with someone and don't even notice their race. We now know that's not true at all," UT Professor of Psychology Dr. Becky Bigler said

These theories were disproven by th UT study just conducted on 84 white moms and their 4-and 5-year-olds.

The mothers were given two books to read to their children: one that plainly displays an incredibly diverse classroom and kids cooperating on a project, and the other, about a group of zebras who lose their stripes and how those differences in appearance cause them to fight. Both books provide easy examples for parents to introduce the topic of race.

“Based on this study, it looks like the vast majority of white parents don't say anything about race to their children,” researcher Erin Pahlke, who lead the project, said.

“What happens is moms think kids are unbiased because they never talk to kids about race. It makes sense; they are not picking up on biases of kids because they are not getting direct message from parents. So they assume parents hold same biases they do.”

Like so many white moms, Gloria Bankler assumed her 5-year-old son Elliot was colorblind. But she found out during the study that wasn’t the case.

"I was a little surprised to hear he has negative comments about people with darker skin and he answered questions about how I would feel and those were also negative," she said.

After further probing, she discovered Elliot was racial profiling based on an incident at a drugstore parking lot. He was admiring a white couple's puppy when they told him a black man had tried to steal the dog.  Though Gloria discussed stereotyping with Elliot following the couple's comment, it apparently made a deep impression.

The incident doesn’t surprise Bigler. She says research shows you must make a big effort to teach children a healthy view of racial differences or they can develop very unhealthy attitudes.
 
“So if parents are going to stop that process from happening, they have to jump in there and say something. Talk about their values. Talk about why it looks like whites are higher in status than African Americans,” says Bigler.

Five-year-old Graham Beevers also took part in the UT study. His answers were more in line with his mom's expectations. He attends a very diverse pre-school and she thinks that's helped him form his racial attitudes, but she says the study definitely opened her eyes.

“I think it’s just made me more consciously aware of that part of raising him. I'm not sure i know how to do this. But I’m trying to consume as much information as I can and keep him on the right track,” says mother Rebecca Neal-Beevers.

Researchers say their study shows parents should have regular discussions about racial attitudes and values with their children. 

Since children often emulate their parents, making sure they see you with friends and work associates of different races is important,