Ethnographic observations and teacher interviews were conducted in desegregated first grade classrooms to examine teachers' attitudes toward black female students, black females' orientations toward teachers, and black females' peer expectations. The research indicated that: (1) teachers considered black girls to have average or slightly below average academic skills; (2) in assessing academic work, teachers mentioned social skills more often for black girls than for white girls or boys of either race; (9) teachers encouraged black girls to pursue social contacts rather than to work for high academic achievement; (4) black girls received more teacher feedback for classroom behavior than for academic work; (5) teachers chatted with black girls less often than with other children; (6) black girls were more likely to enforce teachers' rules than white girls or boys of either race: (7) black females were less likely to approach the teacher than white females, but were more likely to do so than black males; (8) black girls had the most extensive peer ties of all students; and (9) black females used physical violence and verbal aggressiveness less frequently than males but more often than white females. It is suggested that black girls' socialization in classrooms is consistent with normative roles for black women in contemporary society. (Author/MJL)