Are Educators Racially Prejudiced?: A Cross-Occupational Comparison of Attitudes

Abstract

Abstract Racial attitudes of school teachers, school administrators, other professionals, and general occupational groups are examined using data from six national samples gathered as part of the General Social Survey between 1972 and 1977 by the National Opinion Research Center (N = 9210). Respondents' attitudes were measured on the following topics: open housing, programs to integrate housing, interracial marriage, interracial social relations, segregated schools, busing, and explanations for the Blacks' inferior jobs, income, and housing. The results indicate that in areas of interpersonal relations and housing, teachers and educators do harbor prejudicial attitudes; however, educators are comparable to other professionals regarding these attitudes and less prejudiced than laborers, farmers, clerical workers, craftsmen, managers, and administrators. Within the teaching profession, kindergarten and elementary teachers appear slightly more racially prejudiced than secondary school teachers. Implications ...