Teachers’ and Administrators’ Perceptions of Police-to-Student Encounters: The Impact of Student Race, Police Legitimacy, and Legal Authoritarianism

Abstract

The present study reflects an exploration of student race and attitudes toward the legal system as predictors of teachers’ and administrators’ support for police-to-student physical intervention. We experimentally manipulated student race (Black vs. White) in a hypothetical scenario depicting physical police intervention stemming from a student’s misbehavior. Teachers and administrators were significantly more punitive (i.e., requested juvenile detention and expulsion) toward the Black student than the White student. Moreover, endorsement of police legitimacy and legal authoritarianism (LA) predicted increased punitive attitudes toward the student, the belief that the student is dangerous, perceived likelihood that the student would recidivate, and perceived appropriateness of police officer behavior. Finally, the relationships between police legitimacy, LA, and perceived police behavior appropriateness were stronger when the student was portrayed as Black than White.