Biotechnology is a cutting edge science/technology which impacts the community in many ways. For this and other reasons, it is important we encourage teachers to include biotechnology in the science curriculum. First, however, we need to know what hinders and encourages teachers. We surveyed the views of 88 high school science teachers. The 'barriers" and "encouragement" factors they selected can be explained in terms of levels of understanding and teacher confidence in teaching biotechnology.