Ideological and electoral preferences of teachers: A survey among secondary school teachers in the Flemish region of Belgium

Abstract

Teachers’ beliefs influence the democratic values of their students, often through classroom practices. In this line of research, however, the political attitudes and preferences of teachers have received but scant attention. We report on the ideological and electoral preferences of teachers in secondary education in the Flemish region of Belgium. Results suggest that teachers tend to be moderate, eschewing both left and right radical options. We find a strong association between anti-immigrant sentiments, a right wing ideological self-placement, and a vote for radical right wing parties. Furthermore, teachers stress the fact that they should remain ‘neutral’ in the classroom. We close with some observations on the relevance of our findings for classroom practice.