Racial Attitudes among U.S. College Students

In the U.S., minority students lag behind their White and Asian counterparts academically at all levels of the educational structure. Research has shown that the perceptions and attitudes teachers hold regarding their students can have a significant impact on their students performance and achievement. Studies have found that teachers often carry negative stereotypes regarding non-Asian minority students, which seem to contribute to the failure and discouragement amongst these students. This research found that non-education majors had significantly higher, or more positive, affective racial attitudes than education majors. Additionally, students with higher aptitudes, as measured by ACT or SAT score, reported higher, or more positive, affective attitudes than those with lower aptitudes, and students who had never taken an education course reported higher, or more positive, affective racial attitudes than students who had taken education courses. Educational professionals should re-evaluate the current diversity education requirements and opportunities at both the university and school district levels.