This phenomenological qualitative study used a descriptive questionnaire and interview protocol to explore the perceptions of African American students regarding how bias and microaggressions impact their performance and classroom culture in a high school in an at-risk environment. A qualitative phenomenological approach was chosen because it aids in gaining better insights into the experience of a phenomenon. A questionnaire was conducted via Qualtrics, while the interviews were done virtually via zoom. The results were analyzed using content analysis. The study supports the assertion that biases and microaggressions impact African American high school students' academic performance at schools in at-risk environments. Another finding was that microaggressions and biases affect classroom culture. This study is essential to high school institutions, teachers, and policymakers in effectively acknowledging the impacts of microaggressions and bias and addressing the negative ones. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]