A study of selected racially-related apprehensions of teachers

Many driving forces, among which are customs, traditions, habits, confusion and bigotry, have loomed as obstacles to integration in the United States since the Supreme Court decision of 1954. Those in the schools affected by these forces include administrators, teachers, counselors, students and parents. Each administrator, teacher and counselor is a unique person. Each relates to colleagues and students in a different way. These differences in perception are significant and have made it more difficult to achieve successful desegregation in Dallas.

The problem addressed by this study was that of determining whether differences existed in the responses of a selected group of Black teachers and White teachers to three apprehension scales. The apprehension scales are related to (a) different role behaviors, (b) different kinds of interpersonal interactions, and (c) campus-related situations. The scales are assessed within a categorical socio-cultural context, i.e., work, church, social and family life. Seventy-five Black teachers and seventy-five White teachers participated in the study. From analysis of the data one can say that there was a significant difference in the responses of teachers to the i terns on the questionnaire. When responses of teachers across groups were ranked and analyzed using ranks, percentages Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square techniques, race, sex and experience did influence teacher responses. Respondents repeatedly assigned those items closest to them (the greatest threat) first priority and those items furthest from them (the least threatening) the last priority.