See Published Version in the State Journal Register:
In the past 55 years after the implementation of Brown v. the Board of Education (1954), African American teachers in America’s K-12 classrooms have trickled down to almost non-extant, a reported 66% decline with African American teachers today representing less than 8 percent of all school teachers . This is a critical problem in undermining the importance of African American children being able to see reflections of them in K-12 classrooms where they spend most of their day.
When schools were ordered to desegregate, White school district officials went to work either rejecting that order or making sure the new law favored the white schools and White teachers. Many African American schools were closed, shut down, abandoned, and turned into community center projects. African American students were bused to neighboring white schools in white communities. African American teachers were early retired, displaced, demoted, and rarely placed in the white schools where African American children would now be attending. Beginning in the early sixties, suddenly scores of African American students who had been schooled by African American teachers whom they knew and had some familiarity with since these teachers also lived in the-then segregated African American neighborhoods, were no longer in touch with one of the most powerful influences in the growth of a child: the African American neighborhood teacher.
It is no wonder that during this same critical upheaval of the African American teacher in the African American community, that there began a steep growth of African American men in the prison population. It is no wonder, as traditional African American communities before desegregation resisters dismissed the African American teacher, relied on the schools as an extension of parental control. African American teachers took the place of parents in the schools. If students misbehaved, parents were called that evening. Punishment was meted out with parents and teachers, school administrators in agreement. African American boys were paddled and the girls were embarrassed, with the intent that if they were not properly trained, they would face much worse treatment outside their communities, including death by racist people. It was an understood code of survival for African American children. Because of the closeness, village-like life of African Americans, their parents would tell their children “don’t go out to that school and embarrass us, embarrass your family.” Teachers lived in the neighborhood or close by; home visits were welcomed by parents.
Desegregation has provided mixed blessings. On one hand, today’s African American students are exposed to a diversity of teachers, a diversity of ideas, and a broader expansion of knowledge about a larger world. However, one has to wonder what would be the outcome of many African American students today who are on the negative end of testing scores and still dilapidated school environments, had African American teachers been absorbed in the white schools, along with the African American students. What about the opposite approach? What would the outcomes of many African American children be if White teachers and White students were integrated at the same rate in the African American schools?
A common explanation for the decline in African American teachers has been that desegregation in many other avenues created new career choices offering a larger pay check in the White corporate world for African Americans, beyond the traditional offering of being a teacher, preacher, nurse, musician or sportsperson. But, is not this too much akin to ‘blaming the victim?’ If the greater percentage of African Americans who are poor is suddenly offered opportunities to make more money, live in better housing, eat better food, given the freedom to choose to be whatever they want to be, is not this what the American Dream is all about?
What is needed now are comprehensive front end and back end teacher education recruitment programs, bent on recapturing the African American teacher, not finger-pointing, blaming. The African American student is in serious crisis mode, requiring a triage of interventions, not separate-but-equal interventions, but equalizing interventions such as the option to create African American boys academies, African American girls academies, African American academies with the express purpose of giving these students their dignities, their due education.
In the past 55 years after the implementation of Brown v. the Board of Education (1954), African American teachers in America’s K-12 classrooms have trickled down to almost non-extant, a reported 66% decline with African American teachers today representing less than 8 percent of all school teachers . This is a critical problem in undermining the importance of African American children being able to see reflections of them in K-12 classrooms where they spend most of their day.When schools were ordered to desegregate, White school district officials went to work either rejecting that order or making sure the new law favored the white schools and White teachers. Many African American schools were closed, shut down, abandoned, and turned into community center projects. African American students were bused to neighboring white schools in white communities. African American teachers were early retired, displaced, demoted, and rarely placed in the white schools where African American children would now be attending. Beginning in the early sixties, suddenly scores of African American students who had been schooled by African American teachers whom they knew and had some familiarity with since these teachers also lived in the-then segregated African American neighborhoods, were no longer in touch with one of the most powerful influences in the growth of a child: the African American neighborhood teacher.
It is no wonder that during this same critical upheaval of the African American teacher in the African American community, that there began a steep growth of African American men in the prison population. It is no wonder, as traditional African American communities before desegregation resisters dismissed the African American teacher, relied on the schools as an extension of parental control. African American teachers took the place of parents in the schools. If students misbehaved, parents were called that evening. Punishment was meted out with parents and teachers, school administrators in agreement. African American boys were paddled and the girls were embarrassed, with the intent that if they were not properly trained, they would face much worse treatment outside their communities, including death by racist people. It was an understood code of survival for African American children. Because of the closeness, village-like life of African Americans, their parents would tell their children “don’t go out to that school and embarrass us, embarrass your family.” Teachers lived in the neighborhood or close by; home visits were welcomed by parents.
Desegregation has provided mixed blessings. On one hand, today’s African American students are exposed to a diversity of teachers, a diversity of ideas, and a broader expansion of knowledge about a larger world. However, one has to wonder what would be the outcome of many African American students today who are on the negative end of testing scores and still dilapidated school environments, had African American teachers been absorbed in the white schools, along with the African American students. What about the opposite approach? What would the outcomes of many African American children be if White teachers and White students were integrated at the same rate in the African American schools?
A common explanation for the decline in African American teachers has been that desegregation in many other avenues created new career choices offering a larger pay check in the White corporate world for African Americans, beyond the traditional offering of being a teacher, preacher, nurse, musician or sportsperson. But, is not this too much akin to ‘blaming the victim?’ If the greater percentage of African Americans who are poor is suddenly offered opportunities to make more money, live in better housing, eat better food, given the freedom to choose to be whatever they want to be, is not this what the American Dream is all about?
What is needed now are comprehensive front end and back end teacher education recruitment programs, bent on recapturing the African American teacher, not finger-pointing, blaming. The African American student is in serious crisis mode, requiring a triage of interventions, not separate-but-equal interventions, but equalizing interventions such as the option to create African American boys academies, African American girls academies, African American academies with the express purpose of giving these students their dignities, their due education.
