Interviews conducted with 45 public school teachers in a county school system in rural southern Appalachia explored teacher perceptions of cultural differences between Appalachian and non-Appalachian students and whether teachers born and reared in Appalachia differed in their perceptions from teachers born and reared outside the region. Teachers came from four elementary schools and one high school in a predominately rural county approximately two-thirds of whose inhabitants were fourth generation Appalachia residents. The study found that views of Appalachian teachers differed little from their non-Appalachian counterparts, although they were more reluctant and uncomfortable in citing differences between students and occasionally viewed Appalachian students in a more positive way. A majority of both groups of teachers perceived differences between students based on symbolic and structural dimensions rather than cultural ones. Over 80 percent stated that students were treated differently by the school system depending on their group identity, but did not believe they themselves treated student differently. Comments of both Appalachian and non-Appalachian teachers were more flattering to town students. The paper concludes that Appalachian teachers do not offer an alternative to the stereotyping and prejudice that Appalachian students experience in the schools. Thirty-one references are appended. (LFL)