THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 2
Abstract
Racial concerns in the United States have been increasing at an alarming rate. There are many reasons
as to why racial tension has been increasing. When leaders have been discussing these issues the public
education system is always a part of the discussion. The discrimination that happens in schools is
affecting black students' ability to learn, graduate high school, and become solid members of society.
The teacher's implicit bias towards black students is what has impacted the academic achievement of
these students. Teachers who build positive relationships and connect with their students have better
test scores and better classroom management. The implicit bias that some teachers have prohibits those
relationships from forming. When students have shared examples of how they have been discriminated
against in school one of the most common references was when white students continued to be
disruptive in class with no consequences. But, a black student would do something in the class of a
lesser infraction and get more severe consequences. This then leads to forming a barrier between the
teacher and student prohibiting any chance of a relationship to be built. Continued research is finding
that positive relationships with teachers give impactful support for the students. Most students share
that if the teachers or staff at the school had tried to get to know them they would have realized the
trauma that the student had experienced outside of school to better understand their adversity.
Teachers are the most important person in student achievement. Therefore, more and more research is
being done looking into how teacher implicit bias is affecting students in the United States.
Keywords: implicit bias, disproportionate, relationship, restorative justice
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 3
The Impact of Teacher-Implicit Bias on the Academic Achievement of Black Students
Today's society is at a standstill trying to move forward in effectively educating black students. It
is time for a change to happen in the educational system and addressing teacher implicit bias is the
place to begin. It does not just fall on the educational system. It also falls on the community and family
support for the educational system to have the tools to empower black students. School systems across
the nation must make it a priority to hire professional, effective teachers who show they have the will
and desire to reach black students. Black males are dying daily across the nation due to the lack of
education and no sense of belonging. This epidemic of lack of education started with teachers having an
implicit bias in the classroom. According to Chin et al. (2020), that theory suggests that teachers' implicit
racial attitudes affect their students. Teachers are unable to connect to the black student in their
classrooms due to implicit bias. Therefore, there has been a lack of achievement, discipline intolerance,
and an abundance of out-of-school suspensions. This is leading to black students not being in the
classroom to learn and not being able to achieve any goals they may have at one time had for their life.
As a result, black students have been sent home excessively with no effective interventions to address
the issue. This leads to black students having time to be involved in crime, drug abuse, and gang-related
activity.
There are many issues in today’s public education that impact the well-being of students.
Research is showing that as teachers show favoritism toward white students that students of color are
becoming farther and farther behind in academic achievement. Blackson et al. (2022), stated that this
may lead to white students receiving preferential learning opportunities and positive learning
interactions. Which leads to a disproportionate number of black students being referred for special
education eligibility. The preferential treatment of white students and implicit bias carries over into
discipline.
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 4
Black students are more likely to be suspended for a discipline charge that a white student would not be
suspended for. Burrell-Craft et al. (2022), shared that discrimination that happens in schools is affecting
our black student’s ability to learn, graduate high school, and become solid members of society.
School systems across the nation are seeing the need for teacher support with implicit bias. The
most important outcome of the research was positive relationships between teachers and students have
life-changing positive results. Malone et al. (2022), found that the majority of school systems across the
United States implement Multi-tiered System Level Supports (MTSS) to address the needs of students.
The MTSS framework builds on positive relationships with students and this is impactful support for
students. A big part of MTSS is parental support. This is another reason why positive teacher
relationships exist. Morgan (2021) shared that school systems are also introducing restorative justice
practices instead of utilizing harsh discipline. “Eliminating the punitive approach to discipline many
schools implement is crucial because the disproportionate imprisonment of black people is detrimental
to all Americans,” (Morgan, 2021). Teachers who build solid relationships with their students have
students with the most success. However, teachers who have implicit bias do not build relationships
with their students, and those students do not succeed. This lowers their academic achievement and
growth in the classroom. The research question that guided this literature review is: What impact does
teacher implicit bias have on black students' academic achievement?
Definitions of Key Terms
1. Implicit Bias- Implicit attitudes (the tendency to like or dislike members of a racial group) and
implicit stereotypes (the association of a group with a particular trait.) The attitudes and stereotypes can
be automatically activated in one's mind leading to implicit bias. People can exhibit implicit bias and are
unaware they are displaying it (Chin et al., 2020).
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 5
2. Disproportionate- Disproportionate punishment can be a symptom of racial bias. Students
from racial minority groups were more likely to report higher levels of disproportionate discipline
practices compared to their white peers (Leverette et al., 2022).
3. Relationship- Teachers who build positive relationships with their students have better
classroom management, student achievement, and student success (Malone et al., 2022).
4. Restorative justice- Philosophy designed to promote conflict resolution by permitting people
to remedy the harm they caused. Social movements are designed to establish non-punitive methods for
avoiding and addressing harm and for responding to violations of legal and human rights (Morgan,
2021).
Related Literature
Implicit Bias
Racial concerns in the United States have been increasing at an alarming rate. There are many
reasons as to why racial tension has been increasing. When the nation's leaders have been discussing
these issues the public education system is always a part of the discussion. There has been a rising
concern over discrimination that happens in schools toward black students. This discrimination is
affecting black students' ability to learn, graduate high school, and become solid members of society.
Teacher implicit bias toward black students is what has impacted the academic achievement of these
students. According to Burrell-Craft et al. (2022), teachers who build positive relationships and connect
with their students have better test scores and better classroom management. However, the implicit
bias that some teachers have prohibited these relationships from forming. One area of research has
shown that teachers may even be more biased against dark-skinned black students than light-skinned
black students (Burrell-Craft et al., 2022). The hardest part about teacher implicit is that teachers are
unaware of the feelings they may have towards black students. Unfortunately, implicit bias is displayed
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 6
in numerous ways. Blackson et al. (2022), stated the implications of implicit bias begin as early as
preschool. More white children have access to early preschool than black children. When black children
attend high-quality childcare centers there are disproportionate rates of suspensions. The expectations
are lower for black students than are shown for white students. These lower expectations continue
throughout a black child's educational career and this affects the well-being of that child. Even more,
evidence shows that implicit bias is the result of achievement gaps among black students (Chin et al.,
2020). The achievement gaps are affecting black males at a significant rate. Black males are dying daily
across the nation due to a lack of education and no sense of belonging. Teachers are unable to make
connections with these students because of their implicit bias. Therefore, there has been a lack of
achievement, discipline intolerance, and an abundance of out-of-school suspensions. This is leading to
black students not being in the classroom to learn and not being able to achieve any goals they may
have at one time had for their life. As a result, black students may have been sent home excessively with
no effective interventions to address the issue. Today's society has seen first-hand the result which has
been prison or death. This leads to where the statement school-to-prison pipeline was started.
Implicit Bias and School-to-Prison Pipeline
The impact of systemic racism, implicit bias, and disproportionate suspensions and expulsions
for black students is profound. Sanders et al. (2022), shared that the majority of the students getting
suspended have also experienced some type of trauma in their home life environment. This could be
neglect, physical/sexual abuse, parent incarcerated, drug abuse, mental illness, or death of a family
member. Research shows that the combination of racism in school and potential trauma a student may
have experienced will have a negative result for the student. Students who experience this
discrimination in schools have a difficult time trusting and building relationships with students. Most
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 7
students share that if teachers at the school had tried to get to know them they would have realized the
trauma that had been experienced outside of school to better understand their adversity (Sanders,
2022).
Implicit bias is an unconscious trait. The majority of Americans believe that racism exists. But
people do not realize what implicit bias does to an individual’s behavior. According to Stevens (2022),
people believe in their hearts that they are good people. Yet, when a person is made aware of implicit
bias it is accepted negatively and may induce shame. As teachers work at trying to learn how to not have
implicit bias there will be defensive attitudes. It is common for teachers to then try to forget they even
have implicit bias. Having positive contact with race groups does help decrease implicit bias (Stevens,
2022).
Romero et al., (2020), state several practices are being introduced to school systems today to try
to assist teachers in support of looking inside themselves regarding implicit bias. In the 1990s zero-
tolerance discipline policies were introduced that have been ineffective. These policies resulted in
disproportionate expulsions of students of color. These students miss key instruction in the classroom
and fall farther and farther behind in their academics. This has led to the school-to-prison pipeline.
Suspensions of black students have led to more and more having time to get involved in crimes that lead
to incarceration. Restorative justice, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Multi-
tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) are frameworks that have been used to address the disproportionate
discipline in schools (Gregory et al., 2018; Welsh & Little, 2018). They focus on building relationships.
They focus on behavior by improving a sense of belonging and examining discipline for most infractions
(Gregory et al., 2017; McCluskey et al., 2008). Romero et al., (2020), shared that these approaches will
not be effective until implicit bias is addressed. First, there must be teaching about and raising
awareness of implicit bias and its consequences in schools. This would need to be addressed on
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 8
an individual basis with careful feedback on implicit bias. Intense professional development to train
educators to recognize their own internalized biases with strategies to mitigate these behaviors is of
utmost importance for any success (Romero et al., 2020). It is not a secret that teaching is a stressful job.
Every year more and more teachers decide to leave the profession due to teacher burnout. Costa et al.,
(2023), said that teachers with implicit bias have a higher rate of teacher burnout than teachers with a
lessened implicit bias. Teachers with implicit bias have weaker classroom management which leads to a
more stressful workplace.
Professional development for teachers is at the forefront of conversations as a high level of
need. This professional development would hopefully enlighten teachers on their implicit bias attitudes,
and give support for positive growth. Crutchfield et al., (2022), addressed that exploring professional
development for implicit bias must be handled with care. There is a great need to dig deeper into
implicit bias and see more about how to address it. Skin tone bias is a major part of implicit bias.
Teachers need to understand how skin tone bias affects how light-skinned students compare themselves
to dark-skinned students in the racial community. It is even more important for teachers to understand
the history of how skin tone bias affected black slaves. Understanding that light-skinned slaves were
treated better than dark-skinned slaves (Crutchfield et al., 2022). Inan-Kaye et al., (2022), stated that
professional development for teachers needed to stress if a student is given multiple opportunities to
communicate and interact in the classroom the student will achieve and learn goals. Teachers make
instant decisions throughout the school day. According to Kumar et al., (2022), there are many pressures
for teachers to appear non-racist. Teachers feel external they should make sure to appear unprejudiced
in the classroom. Yet, many teachers are unaware of the implicit bias that weighs on their attitudes and
expectations in the classroom. Kumar et al., (2022), felt that professional
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 9
development should expose teachers’ ways to be culturally aware. By being culturally aware a teacher is
cognizant of all student needs in the classroom. This leads to high levels of achievement. Stephens et al.,
(2022), noted that teachers who are culturally aware have a growth mindset. Teachers with a fixed
mindset display implicit bias and ethnic achievement bias that impacts students’ academic achievement
that forms the trajectory of their life. Research has also shown that teachers who are willing to
communicate and have a race discussion in class have positive relationships with students (Troop et. al,
2022). Teachers are the most important person in student achievement. Worrell (2022), said that more
and more research is being done looking into how teacher implicit bias is affecting students in the
United States. School systems utilize money and invest in training to move teachers to a growth
mindset. If decisions are not made to help teachers recognize their implicit bias then the academic
development and achievement of students will always suffer (Worrell et. al, 2022).
Learning Theory Association
Implicit bias is not just towards black students. It can be towards immigrants, low
socioeconomic, students receiving special education services, and even girls. Inan-Kaya et., al (2022),
shared that if a student is given multiple times to communicate and interact in the classroom the
student will learn and achieve goals. If teacher expectations are high and they empower positive growth
in the student then that student will be successful. This mirrors the learning theory framework of Social
Cognitive Theory. "Social Cognitive Theory stresses the idea that much human learning occurs in a social
environment. By observing others, people acquire knowledge, rules, skills, strategies, beliefs, and
attitudes," (Schunk, 2020, p.125). Albert Bandura is the theorist who developed this learning theory.
Through reciprocal interactions, he believed that when students have low self-esteem or have been
made to feel they cannot do as well as the rest of the students they will not
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 10
perform as well. But, if the student is motivated to believe they can accomplish a goal in the classroom
the student's chances are greater. Teachers with implicit bias have low expectations of black students.
Therefore, if the students are made to feel lesser then the outcome is negative whether it's academics
or behavior. But, just as with reciprocal interactions if a teacher that is non-biased builds a positive
relationship with the student the student believes they can and they will.
Gaps in Research
There is more and more research being published regarding teacher implicit bias and what part
it has with the lack of academic achievement in school among black students. Inan-Kaya et. al (2022),
feel that more research should be conducted in the classrooms observing teachers. Most of today's
research on implicit bias has been conducted through computer assessments and questionnaires. In the
classroom, observations can dig deeper and focus on particular student groups, and verbal behaviors for
a longer period. This may help teachers to see and understand their bias and maybe help it reduce over
some time. Troop et. al (2022), felt that future studies could also research student reports of teachers.
This would hopefully give teachers insight into their implicit bias in the classroom. There are gaps in bias
research because teacher bias is hard to assess. But, hopefully, through empowering teachers to move
forward with growth mindsets improvements will be gained in the future. Future studies should be
more in-depth by teachers being observed over the course of a complete school year. That way data can
be researched more intensively. It would be important to compare the age group that teachers teach.
The dynamics of size, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status of the schools are important to be included in
the research. The studies should also include what supports are being put into place for teachers to
grow. The need for more information that can be provided to school leaders to give their teachers the
tools of positive growth is so important. Hopefully, in future years to come the public school systems of
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 11
America will be provided these supports to guide teachers in the right direction.
Biblical Worldview
My brothers show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory
(English Standard Version, 2001, James 2:1). For we were all baptized by one Spirit to form one body-
whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (Holman Christian
Standard Version, 2004, Corinthians 12:13). Teachers are to show no partiality for any of their students.
They are to see their students for who they are and teach them where they are by building effective
relationships of trust and respect. Teaching is the Lord’s work and Jesus Christ loves everyone the same.
Conclusion
The issue of teacher implicit bias will only continue to get worse if school systems do not see a
need for teacher bias support. In recent years racial injustice has become a leading national concern
with the increase of police brutality in communities. Hopefully, due to this concern, teacher implicit bias
in the classroom will become researched. The black students of America are struggling for many reasons
than just teacher implicit bias. However, it is the public school system's responsibility to address the
school-to-prison pipeline epidemic, and that starts with addressing teacher implicit bias in the
classroom.
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER IMPLICIT BIAS 12
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