The area that continues to be unaddressed in public-schools: Teacher bias in the EC-12 setting

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the relationship between a teacher’s level of implicit and explicit bias, as well as teacher perceptions of the role bias plays in the school setting. A purposeful sample of Black, Hispanic, and White public-school teachers in a large region of southeast Texas was solicited to complete the race Implicit Association Test (IAT) and the RIVEC Prejudice Scale. The survey data were analyzed using a correlation and analysis of variances while the qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive coding process. The quantitative findings indicated that the Hispanic and White participants have a higher implicit bias against Black people than the Black participants did against White people. In contrast, all three racial groups, on average, held the same level of explicit bias. A teacher’s years of experience had no effect on the level of bias a teacher possesses. The qualitative portion of this study identified the following themes related to bias and the role bias plays in the school setting: (a) implicit bias reactions, (b) explicit bias reactions, (c) lack of preparation and professional development, (d) bias in the academic setting, and (e) bias in discipline practices.