It seems even before a black boy completes kindergarten, he has laready been labled: slow learner, disruptive, behavior problem, behind in most subject areas, and negative social interactions. Do you see this happening in your school system? The irony (in my blogging opionion) is that it seems to me, that so many female black educators write many of these boys off and want them sent out of their classrooms. Several years ago, an educator was writing her dissertation on a similar topic, and she noticed that more black teachers wrote black boys up with behavior referals than write teachers? Many of the reasons were minor incidences. While white boys who exhibited similar behaviors were treated diffeently. Furthermore, when comparing this information, the white boys were given more ISS, while the black boys were suspended. The administrator was a black woman as well.
Our local community has begun a symposium on this issue. We are failing our black boys. There was a time when I was a teenager, and many years before that, that in the 1930's this county was seen as extremely progress. The founder of Sears and Roebuck and C. established many schools in the rurla south, this county being one of them. These schools were called the "Rosenwald" schools. It was set up for black children, who otherwise may not get an education. As a result, this county, in rural southeast Georgia, had a very high percentage of African Americans not only graduating high school, but entering college, and becoming doctors, lawyers and successful business men
It seems that time period has gone. By the late 1980's, there has been a steady decline in black boys graduating high school, let alone, entering college. They are now entering prisons. What has happened? Your thoughts and opinions on this subject is needed to help correct this problem. Until these boys begin a new chapter in their futures, our schools, and communities will suffer.
Thank you and I look forward to your comments.
Renni Wooden.
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I heard a man named Anthony Muhammad speak a few weeks ago. He took over Levy Middle School (97% African American) after three previous principals had attempted to enact reforms in the past four years. 150 of the school's 800 students had to complete remediation summer school, and the school "boasted" 3,000 suspensions the previous year. To get to my point, he also saw that his students were massively over-represented in special education programs versus the national average.
Besides enacting other reforms of the professional learning community movement, he also built a tiered, systematic intervention program to help struggling students. Unless it was an obvious problem (dyslexia, for example), students would not be put on a 504 or an IEP until they had gone through the entire intervention system.
The number of students who had to complete remediation summer school dropped from 150 to 6 by the end of the first year, and then to zero by the end of the second year.
His presentation really made me think... While African American students only represented about 20 percent of my previous school's student population, African-American boys made up more like 40 percent of our RSP and SDC programs. This is not to say that I do not think that most students receiving special education services have a legitimate need, it's just that the success of his program suggests (to me, anyway) that there are alternate means of meeting the needs of these students.
Thanks for your comments. I also believe it has to do with society. It is almost a cliche nowaways saying, "It takes a village". However, unitl that really happens, we will continue to fail our students. So many people are very apathetic about kids these days. I wish the kids knew how much we care about them, but they go through so much "stuff" these days, they get lost in the shuffle. It will be interesting to see hat happens in 20 years or so....I will be watching and hoping for the best!
Who is not succeeding? Black Boys? Teachers? The System? Who?
Black boys are children, and all children can learn. Why some of them aren't learning is the question. Are we teaching? Where is the emphasis? Is it on discipline? (At the onset); are we making hasty generalizations about "black boys"? Where is the problem? Shame on the educational system if the children are not learning.
Anything and everything can grow with time, love and attention. Can this be the root of the problem...a lack thereof, of these three? Children generally (in some cases) have pretty good discernment of what is genuine (in terms of love). They can detect real concern.
I believe that if an educator is truly a genuine educator, he/she would not allow a student not to learn. Of course, one person can not go against another persons will, but I believe that a negative will can be re-educated and changed. But this, of course, takes “time”. When people are willing to invest time into something, it is generally because they have an interest in it…it is easy to give “attention” to something you “love”.
Since love has no color, then color should not decide for love (whether it’s given or not). The toughest person can respond to, and respect genuine love. They may not acknowledge it right away, but when it is tested and proven over time, it can be accepted, and can work miracles. For the most part children like to live up to the expectations of those that they care about, and to those that they think care about them. Are our expectations too low? Have we not set them high enough?
Black boys are children too. They can learn, and will learn given: high expectations, time, attention and Love.
My take on the matter!
Who is not succeeding? Black Boys? Teachers? The System? Who?
Black boys are children, and all children can learn. Why some of them aren't learning is the question. Are we teaching? Where is the emphasis? Is it on discipline? (At the onset); are we making hasty generalizations about "black boys"? Where is the problem? Shame on the educational system if the children are not learning.
Anything and everything can grow with time, love and attention. Can this be the root of the problem...a lack thereof, of these three? Children generally (in some cases) have pretty good discernment of what is genuine (in terms of love). They can detect real concern.
I believe that if an educator is truly a genuine educator, he/she would not allow a student not to learn. Of course, one person can not go against another persons will, but I believe that a negative will can be re-educated and changed. But this, of course, takes “time”. When people are willing to invest time into something, it is generally because they have an interest in it…it is easy to give “attention” to something you “love”.
Since love has no color, then color should not decide for love (whether it’s given or not). The toughest person can respond to, and respect genuine love. They may not acknowledge it right away, but when it is tested and proven over time, it can be accepted, and can work miracles. For the most part children like to live up to the expectations of those that they care about, and to those that they think care about them. Are our expectations too low? Have we not set them high enough?
Black boys are children too. They can learn, and will learn given: high expectations, time, attention and Love.
My take on the matter!
It becomes very alarming when we see the data that African American males are being unsuccessful in todays education. Did this just start? No However, now the topic is truly being placed in the media forefront. Many schools have instituted Mentor programs, special interventions to focus on this alarming data. As far as the school goes, there is only so much that can be put in place. In order for there to be a real difference, society, communities, churches, and other agencies have to take a stand to this alarming data. This is not just an educational concern, it is a cultural need. Not only is it alarming for the African American males, but take a look at the data for African American females. Also, our Latino population is demonstrating a low percentage of success in public education. In conclusion, many of these areas of alarm result in many cultures within education.
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