The influence of color blindness on teachers' perceptions and students' behavioral and academic functioning

This study explored teachers’ level of color blindness, teacher race, student race, and the level of intervention teachers recommended for students with perceived academic or behavioral difficulties. In an effort to support the field of early childhood education, this research focused on the responses of teachers of children in the kindergarten through third grades (ages 18+). The two hypotheses tested were as follows: 1) White teachers that differ from the students’ race and that score high on the color blindness scale and will perceive minority students as engaging in problematic behaviors. 2) Teachers with race that differ from the students’ race and that score high on the color blindness scale will be more likely to refer minority students to special education for an evaluation due to a suspected Specific Learning Disability (SLD) or an Emotional Disturbance (ED). For hypothesis 1, it was found that teacher race and level of color blindness scale did not impact perception of minority students as engaging in problematic behaviors at a higher rate than white students. For hypothesis 2, significant relationships were found between the Black boy with an “ethnic” name, teacher race, and the referral to special education and the White male with a “mainstream” name, teachers’ level of color blindness, and the referral to special education.