By examining the attitudes and perceptions of 1625 fifth grade students in North Carolina, this study tested the hypothesis that the way teachers treat their students can have an effect on their political attitudes. It was found that when teachers treat students fairly and show interest in their ideas and problems, students are less politically cynical. This effect is stronger for white children than for black children, although it exists for the latter. It was also found that black children are more cynical than white children and perceive themselves as being treated less fairly than white children do. While white childrens' parents' education and support for their schooling is negatively and linearly related to political cynicism, black children show a curvilinear relationship between parents' education and support for schoolwork and their political cynicism. This cynicism occurs because high levels of parental education and support for schoolwork are associated with high levels of political knowledge regarding the low general status of blacks in this society. (Author/APM)