Discussing Nuance: Teacher Phenotype & US-Born Mexican Origin Youth

This study investigates how teacher phenotype (skin color) influences perceptions of teachers amongst US-born Mexican origin high school students, including what, if anything, students ascribe to their teachers based on teacher skin color. There is a significant paucity in the literature with regards to student perceptions of teacher skin color; the few extant studies investigate student perceptions of teacher race, but not specifically teacher skin color. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) served as the theoretical framework for this project. This study takes place at a large comprehensive high school in the southwestern United States. Data for this study was collected through two methods: (1) an online student survey administered to roughly 100 students in 12th grade, and (2) a one-hour focus group with nine (9) students. The data from this study suggest that teacher skin color does influence student perceptions of teachers. The students that participated in this study ascribed varying expectations to their teachers based on the skin color of the teacher. While their perceptions of teachers are influenced by teacher skin color, these students also engaged in colorblind and color-evasive discourses. In essence, students in this study often expressed competing viewpoints of (1) being influenced by teacher skin color, and (2) believing that skin color was irrelevant and insignificant. These results suggest that additional research is needed in this area. Due to the small number of participants in this study, these results are not generalizable.