Examining Your School's Climate

According to a survey conducted by Teaching Tolerance, the National Education Association and the Civil Rights Project, the vast majority of teachers say their schools are free of racial and ethnic tensions. Yet, federal reports [1] show that one in four students are victimized in racial or ethnic incidents in the course of a typical school year.

Students of color aren't the only victims, either: nearly 70 percent of girls say they've been sexually harassed, 75 percent of gay students report hearing anti-gay slurs at school, and more than a third of gay students say they've been physically harassed.

School Climate Questionnaire (PDF) [2]
This simple one-page questionnaire can be used to uncover differences in teacher and student perceptions, as an activity to open professional development programs related to school climate and safety, or as part of larger school-climate assessments that also include interviews, focus groups and other tools. It also can be adapted for use with parents.

Map It Out [3]
Teachers and students draw maps showing where they think social divisions exist at school, and compare views of the community as a whole.

Mix It Up Surveys (PDF) [4]
Developed as part of Teaching Tolerance's Mix It Up at Lunch Day [5] program, these student surveys, one for early grades and another for middle and upper grades, can help clarify the social boundaries that exist in your school.

Anti-Bullying Activities [6]
These lessons include diagnostic tools for early and middle/upper grades about the prevalence and severity of bullying in schools.