Op Ed – Addressing Race and Class in Educating Men of Color

​As a former principal of a school whose demographics reflected ninety-six percent African American students and as the mother of two African American males, educating men of color has become a life-long "call of duty." When I reflect on my experiences, I am challenged daily to think differently about how to effectively support teachers in highly engaging lessons along with while supporting students beyond the classroom. The complexity of seeking instructional content that piqued the interests of young men of color is a complex task which stretched my teacher's thinking as well as my own. I longed to see the excitement and curiosity needed to keep my students focused on their goals that would ultimately impact their future success. Serving as the principal, various accountability indicators such as Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO), Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS), and Tennessee Evaluation Acceleration Model (TEAM) were always looming in the back of my mind. Not to mention navigating the complexities of what African American students bring to school daily in the areas of poverty, childhood trauma, and homelessness. These tenets that played a role in how we educate men of color. Harvey shares in the book The Superintendent's Fieldbook it is very hard to avoid the obvious: The educational crisis facing young minority males is formidable (Harvey, Cambron-McCabe, Cunningham, & Koff, 2013, p. 156) 

          Raising two African American males, as a single parent, afforded me experiences that shaped my views on race, class, education. Always striving to avoid being a part of the statistics of being a single parent, I fought to dismantle this harsh reality. Of all single-parent families in the U.S., single mothers make up the majority. According to the 2018 U.S. Census Bureau, 4 out of about 11 million single-parent families with children under the age of 18, more than 80% were headed by single mothers.  https://singlemotherguide.com/single-mother-statistics/ Superintendents are tasked with ensuring all students have equal access and opportunities in education, and it appears there's a new trend on the horizon.  The Bureau of the Census projects that minorities will represent more than half of all children in the United States by 2023 and that the entire U.S. population with being 54 percent minority by 2050 (Harvey et al., 2013). In researching this topic, I've identified three strategies that work to reverse the trajectory in educating men of color; mentoring, partnerships, and cultural responsiveness.

Mentoring

          As we consider the next steps to fill the gap in addressing class and race, we must also consider the educational attainment of men of color at the post-secondary level as well. Students of color led the enrollment boom in 2008, with a 15 percent increase for Hispanics, followed by increases of 8 percent for African Americans, 6 percent for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and 2 percent for Native Americans (Williams & Flores-Ragade, 2010, p. 1).  Although these stats are promising, ensuring men of color obtain a degree or certification is a must if we want to future projections. In 2008, 4.6 million Black males attended college, but only half graduated. Nationally, only 11 percent of Black males completed a bachelor's degree (NEA, 2011). Working together, internal and external stakeholders can advocate for policies that support the success of young men of color and secure resources to design and implement promising models. One strategy to address this issue is mentorship. Various colleges across the country have implemented programs such as Call Me Mister and The Harlem's Children Zone as ways to support men of color through their post-secondary matriculation. Only with dedication and long-term commitment can educators and policymakers begin to dismantle the barriers that prevent millions of men from contributing to the country's economic and social good and from achieving their own personal and professional goals and aspirations (Williams et al., 2010)

Culturally responsive

          Addressing the issue of race and color in educating men of color, we must assess our ability to be culturally responsive to bring the gap between academics and success in life. In the February 2011 NEA article entitled Race against Time: Educating Black Boys, multiple strategies to promote culturally responsive instruction we outlined.  One approach is to validate students' cultural identity in classroom practices and instructional materials by using textbooks, designing bulletin boards, and implementing culturally supportive classroom activities. Selecting culturally responsive materials may mean using supplementary resources that don't perpetuate stereotypes or inadequately represent particular groups. Although this sounds simple in theory, educators are scrambling to find resources to foster cultural diversity. Also, superintendents, principals, teachers, and other stakeholders must acknowledge students' differences as well as their commonalities and respond to their strengths and weaknesses. Promoting equity and mutual respect among students in ways that ensure fair treatment across all groups ensures they're not culture-bound (NEA, 2011).

Access and Resources

          An alarming statistic reflects Black boys are 2.5 times less likely to be enrolled in gifted and talented programs, even if their prior achievement demonstrates the ability to succeed (NEA, 2011) If this is true, the question we should ask ourselves is what tools are used to identify and select these students for these programs?  In most Advanced Placement (AP) schools across American, men of color are the minority; however, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in the state of Maryland has found a solution to this problem. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of MCPS students who take AP exams has more than tripled, while the number of tests taken that earned a college-ready score of three or higher also tripled. By using a variety of tools to identify promising students who might not otherwise enroll in AP courses, MCPS has pursued a deliberate strategy to increase the number of poor and minority students in AP courses (NEA, 2011). Providing equitable access for all students creates an equal playing field when it comes to a future workforce. Another factor to consider is the area of resources is district funding allocations. If schools with high concentrations of historically underserved students (low income, high minority, and English language learners) receive more funding per pupil than those schools with little or no concentrations of such students, once equity obtained. An America that hopes to provide equal opportunity must begin with equal access to an education of high quality in schools, colleges, and universities (Harvey et al., 2013).

In closing, we must ponder whether African American males have been endangered or ignored in education. Nevertheless, more research is needed to inform policy and practice to improve the conditions of education for African American males (Jackson & Moore, 2006, p.4). Race, racism, and the racial achievement gap have to be addressed in schools "intentionally, explicitly, and comprehensively" if true progress is to be made (Harvey et al., 2013). As we look to the future, there's no denying the fact that educating men of color may require unique approaches to combating this educational disparity. Still, it's achievable when everyone takes the superintendent, schools, and community working together in collaboration.

References

Harvey, J., Cambron-McCabe, N., Cunningham, L., & Koff, R. (2013). The

Superintendent’s Fieldbook 2nd edition. 

Jackson, J. F., & Moore, J. L. (2006). African American Males in Education: Endangered 

​or Ignored? Teachers College Record, 108(2), 201-205.

Race against Time: Educating Black Boys, 2011, 1-8. Retrieved from 

​http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/educatingblackboys11rev.pdf

Williams, R. and Flores-Ragade, R. (2010). The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of 

​Color. Diversity and Democracy, 13(3), 1-6.

 Bio

Name: Patrice Martin

Title + org: Executive Director, Southwest CORE: Tennessee Department of Education

Expertise:   Patrice Martin is the Executive Director of the Southwest CORE with the Tennessee Department of Education, where she leads 21 districts.  She came to the Tennessee Department of Education in February of this year having served as NIET/TEAM Coach for the Northwest region since 2013. Prior to her service in Northwest, Patrice worked with Humboldt City Schools as principal and district TEAM evaluator.  She previously served in Jackson-Madison County Schools for 10 years as teacher, district assessment and accountability supervisor. She has been working in the field of public education for over 20 years with expertise in data, accountability, building leadership capacity, and coaching.