In modern world the environment of any educational institution represents a spectrum of ethnoses, subcultures; and, thereafter, in a certain way, we can talk about it as the multicultural educational environment. Pupils who realize their national identity often demonstrate intolerance towards representatives of other nationalities which creates a threat for pupils' psychological safety. This paper addresses the topical issue of the role played by class teachers in ensuring the psychological security of pupils within a polycultural educational environment. The authors present the findings of a study assessing the level of development of polyethnic competence in the average class teacher and establishing the interrelationship between this level and how secure psychologically a high-school student may feel within a polycultural educational environment. The study engaged 58 class teachers and127 pupils in grades 7 and 8, ages 13 and 14. It has been suggested that fostering polyethnic competence in class teachers is taking on special significance at this time.