EDUCATING BLACK BOYS
“Sit down!” “Stop playing…!” “You will never succeed…!” Screamed a plethora of educators to young black boys in their time of educating. Sad, but true!
Education is taking a serious turn on young black kids, especially young black boys. They are targeted to be the kids who come from low-income homes, a single parent home, or lack thereof. Many educators who enter into the field are already claiming that young black boys will not make it because of what society has placed in their way.
1. Educating young black boys are more likely to be placed in Special Education.
While it is true that Black boys often arrive in Kindergarten classrooms with inherent disadvantages, they continue to experience a “behind the 8-ball” mentality as their school careers progress. Black boys are more likely than other groups tobe placed in special education classes, with 80 percent of all special education students being Black or Hispanic males.
Learning disabilities are just a part of the whole picture. Black students (and particularly boys) experience disconnection when it comes to the authority figures in their classrooms. White women, many of whom are very qualified and very interested in helping all their students succeed, dominate the K-12 teaching profession but lack the first-hand experience needed to connect with their Black male students.
2. Punishment for black boys is harsher than for any other demographic.
Punishment for Black boys - even first-time offenders - in schools is harsher than any other demographic. Consider these facts: According to the Department of Education
· Black students make up just 18 percent of children in U.S. preschools, but make up half of those youngsters who are suspended.
· Black boys receive two-thirds of all school suspension nationwide- all demographics and both genders considered.
· In most urban cities, 75 percent of all students arrested in public schools are Black.
What’s most troubling is that not all of the Black boys taken from their schools in handcuffs are violent, or even criminals. Increasingly, school-assigned law enforcement officers are leading these students from their schools hallways for minor offenses, including class disruption, tardiness and even non-violent arguments with other students. It seems that it is easier to remove these students from class through the stigma of suspension or arrest than to look for in-school solutions.
School suspension, and certainly arrest, is just the beginning of a life considered on the wrong side of the law for many Black boys. By 18 years of age, 30 percent of Black males have been arrested at least once, compared to just 22 percent of white males. Those numbers rise to 49 percent for Black men by the age of 23, and 38 percent of white males. Researchers from several universities concluded earlier this year that arrests early in life often set the course for more crimes and incarceration throughout the rest of the offender’s lifetime.
No wonder a black boy does not see college as an outlet, because he is already deemed not to succeed. It is very vital why college motivation within and outside the black community is so vital for these young men. At this point in the nation’s history, they are in the greatest need for the lifestyle change that higher education can provide, and not just for individual growth, but also for the benefit of the entire nation. But in order to get there, black boys must experience the motivation to succeed well before college.
