Are Black Male Teachers The Answer to Gang Violence, High School Dropout Rates, and Fatherless Homes?
By Dr. Ivory A. Toldson
CNN.com proposed the question: "Is placing Black men in the classroom the answer to solving some of the problems in the Black community such as gang violence, high school dropout rates, and fatherless homes? Secretary Duncan thinks so. Do you agree, or disagree?"
Ask Montgomery, AL, the city that currently has the highest percentage of Black male teachers. In this city with a population of 206,297, 71 percent Black, 26 percent (more than one in four) of all teachers are Black males. Or ask Baton Rouge, LA, a city that unfortunately looks more similar to typical southern cities with a large Black population. In this city of 439,013, with a 52 percent Black population, less than 1 percent (.9 percent to be exact) of the teachers are Black males.
According to The Schott Foundation for Public Education’s 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males, the graduation rate for Black males in Baton Rouge is 57 percent and the graduation rate for Black males in Montgomery is 41 percent. Notably, graduation rates for White males in both of these cities are also low. At 48 percent, the graduation rate for White males in Montgomery is less than the national average for Black males.
These are random cases, that are not intended to diminish the impact or potential of having Black males in the classroom. Anecdotally, we understand that role models are important, and who better to mentor young Black males than older Black males who are strategically positioned to interact with them 5 days a week. However, the current evidence that more Black male teachers could reduce gang violence and high school dropout rates, has yet to be presented in any cogent argument for increasing the number of Black male teachers. In addition, no context is given for the dearth of Black male teachers, leaving observers to make many erroneous assumptions. For instance, most people are surprised when I tell them that college educated Black men are far more likely to become a teacher than college educated White men. I'll speak more on that soon.
Black male teachers: where they are, and where they are not
Black male teachers are in Memphis, where they represent 6.5 percent of the teaching force; more than three times the national average of 1.96 percent. They are scarce in Tallahassee, FL, where they represent less than one percent of the teaching force. In the 10 metro areas with the largest number of Black people, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles-Long Beach, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Baltimore, Baltimore has the highest percentage of Black male teachers with 5.4 percent. Los Angeles and Detroit has the lowest with 2.3 percent. Notably, all of the large metro areas with a large Black population, had a percentage of Black male teachers that was higher than the national average.
When connecting the cities to corresponding dropout statistics as presented in The Schott Foundation Report, there is no compelling evidence that the presence of Black male teachers alone will reduce dropout rates for Black males. One could argue that all districts are relatively low, and the dose effect between 6.5 percent versus 1.9 percent Black male teachers would be negligible. A young Black male who has had about 55 teachers from K to 12th grade across all subjects, could expect to have had 1 Black male teacher in Detroit or 3 Black male teachers in Memphis - this isn't a system changing difference. So, what is the benchmark? What percent increase in Black male teachers is necessary to change the system; reducing gang violence and dropout rates? And what accounts for the scarcity of Black male teachers in schools? Hopefully, after you read the next paragraph, you'll understand how hugely disingenuous this question is.
Recently, I conducted an analysis of the top 10 occupations among Black and White males who have at least a bachelor’s degree. Primary school teacher was the number 1 profession of college educated Black men and number 3 for White men. Secondary school teachers was number 5 for Black men and number 16 for White men. Educational administrators was number 9 for Black men and number 22 for White men, and counselors was number 10 for Black men and number 44 for White men.
These are the occupations that were in the top 10 for college educated White men, but not in the top ten for college educated Black men: lawyers, chief executives, sales representatives, and physicians and surgeons. The bottom line issue is higher paying occupations are more commonly held among White men, even when controlling for education. Because of the low pay of teachers, increasing the number of Black male teachers could actually increase current economic disparities.
Overall, compared to White men with college degrees, Black men who are college educated are far more likely to be a teacher, or a range of other "helping professions." Compared to Asian and Hispanic boys, Black boys are far more likely to see a male teacher of the same race. Hispanic males make up 1.43 percent of the national teaching force, and Asian males make up .43 percent. The real problem is not that there are not enough Black male teachers, the problem is that there is not enough college educated Black men.
If current trends in occupational choice stay the same, more Black men enrolling and graduating from college, will naturally increase the number and percentage of Black male teachers, with complementary increases in Black male physicians, lawyers, engineers, nurses, bankers, brokers, and other professions. Black men should not be singled out to be persuaded to become teachers, nor should any teacher be expected to play the role of a surrogate parent.
White female teachers make up 66 percent of the teaching force in the United States. As the professions' majority, they should be expected to gain the tools of cultural competence to serve any student regardless of their racial background or gender.
As I conclude, I reflect on Asa Fludd, a Black male 11th grader, who I quoted in "Breaking Barriers: Plotting the Path to Academic Success for School-age African American Males." He said:
"It was at school where I met teachers who are concerned about my education. One of those teachers is my AP US History teacher, Melissa Soule. Besides making history an exciting class, Ms. Soule expressed the realities of minorities living in the United States, especially Black men. She made me realize that struggle can be a luxury when you achieve, because it makes you the person you are. Besides Ms. Soule, there are other teachers who influence me to do my best, many of them being Black men."
Yes, Black male teachers matter, but should not become a prop for failed educational and economic systems. Young Black men should make career decisions based on their individual talents and financial ambitions. It is an irresponsible appeal to ask one race group (in this case Black men) to make personal or financial sacrifices to become a teacher, essentially making up the balance of a very noble, but economically uncertain, profession. At the same time, society is pushing White males toward higher paying jobs, thus continuing current economic gaps.
One could argue that eliminating racial economic disparities, eliminating unfair employment practices, improve college access through more Pell grants and minority scholarships, and improving the overall quality of school in impoverished areas, would be a more measured response to resolving gang violence, and high school dropout rates.
Note: All of the data presented in this report are the result of original analysis of the American Community Survey (ACS) or the US Census. For more information view: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Reform. Subcommittee on the Census. (2001). The Census Bureau's proposed American Community Survey (ACS) : hearing before the Subcommittee on the Census of the Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventh Congress, first session, June 13, 2001. Washington: U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. Congressional Sales Office.
Dr. Ivory A. Toldson is senior research analyst of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, associate professor at Howard University School of Education, and Editor-In-Chief of “The Journal of Negro Education.” Inquiries should be directed to Ivory A. Toldson, Ph.D. itoldson@howard.edu.
Reference: http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/21/duncan-black-male-teachers-needed-2/?iref=allsearch
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