A Study was conducted to answer two questions: Is the student-perceived ability of white teachers to relate to students a function of the ethnic background of the student group? Are different characteristics of teaching style associated with white teachers' ability-to-relate to student groups of differing ethnic background? Black and white high school students, 50 each, viewed and rated videotapes of 50 white intern teachers presenting a 5- to 7-minute lesson on "Black Power." Each intern was rated on ability-to-relate and on seven characteristics of teaching style. Findings: White students, on the average, rated teachers higher on ability-to-relate than did black ones, although 13 of the 50 were rated more favorably by black students. Ratings of teachers by students in the two groups were not similar. On ability-to-relate and on three teaching style characteristics the correlations of ratings between racial groups were negative. The same teacher was viewed quite differently, relative to the other teachers, in the two groups. Seven of the 14 correlations between scores on ability-to-relate and the teaching style characteristics were statistically significant. Conclusions: The ability of teachers to relate to students is likely to vary substantially as a function of the ethnic background of the student group. Characteristics of teaching style contribute to ability-to-relate differentially in student groups of differing ethnic background. (JS)