The model for a custodial culture is the traditional school, which provides a rigid and highly controlled setting in which maintenance of order isprimary. Students are stereotyped in terms of their appearance, behavior,and parents’ social status. Teachers who hold a custodial orientation conceive of the school as an autocratic organization with a rigid pupil-teacherstatus hierarchy. The fl ow of power and communication is unilateral anddownward; students must accept the decisions of their teachers withoutquestion. Teachers do not attempt to understand student behavior but instead view misbehavior as a personal affront. They perceive students asirresponsible and undisciplined persons who must be controlled throughpunitive sanctions. Impersonality, cynicism, and watchful mistrust pervadethe atmosphere of the custodial school.