The question of the "hidden curriculum" in the classroom has been the subject of much research. While this research has sometimes focused on the belief systems and value orientations of teachers it has seldom included evaluation of their political and social ideologies. In addition, the research literature has given inadequate attention to black teachers in black classrooms. In this essay Dr. Lightfoot evaluates the relationship between the levels of political consciousness of black teachers and the social and cognitive development in black children including reasoning, reflection, and elaborative thinking. She concludes that differences in political ideology are reflected in differences in educational philosophy and practice, and that both have a profound impact on the development of children.

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