With a finger pointed at the ceiling, a face tense with anticipation, and a sentence on the edge of the lips, even at five years old, participation in class is key to the learning process. However, from kindergarten onwards, teachers question students from privileged backgrounds more often than others, unconsciously reinforcing social inequalities, concludes a French study published in the journal PNAS.
School and social inequalities: students from privileged classes are more often questioned
September 12, 2025
By Camille Gaubert THE Subscribers
Students from privileged backgrounds are 23% more often invited to participate in class than others, concludes a study conducted on ten French classes. This unconscious bias on the part of teachers influences the self-image of students who associate speaking up with merit.
Children who participate in class are perceived by the teacher, other students and themselves as more deserving.
Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP
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