Great Opportunity for Black Male Teachers

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In Jackson-Madison County, black men make up only about 5 percent of the school system’s 1,140 teachers. Nationally, black male teachers make up only about 1 percent of the nation’s 3 million K-12 teachers.

School systems heavily recruit black male teachers, but the pool of potential recruits is too small. Therein lies a unique opportunity to recruit black males into the teaching profession.

Educators largely agree that black male teachers are important to young black males who lag significantly behind their white peers in academic achievement and in high school graduation rates. Black male teachers are important role models and mentors for young black males. They often have a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by young black males and can be in a stronger position to counsel and guide troubled black youth.

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The demand for black male teachers is high. But first the education pipeline must be filled with aspiring black males. That will take time. Before that can begin, there must be a major push to attract black males to the profession. {snip}