Identifying children in “need” of special education or harsh discipline is significantly dependent on their teacher’s race, especially Black males, particularly if they are also economically disadvantaged. Black students with Black teachers are more encouraged than punished. A new study by the American Educational Research Journal determined that Black students are more oft en placed in stigmatized classes when they are educated by non-Black teachers. Most diagnoses of poor performance are made at the discretion of teachers or administrators with no resemblance to their students, instead of by expert medical analysis, according to their finding. “These disabilities may be most prone to subjectivity and, ultimately, misclassification,” a condition that aggressively promotes candidacy for the school-to-prison pipe-line.
Having Black teachers matter tremendously to Black children’s success. Exposure to Black teachers strongly enhances Black children’s sense of themselves and prospective scholastic success.Those who have studied under Black teachers in elementary school are more inclined to graduate high school and become admitted to college—13% more likely if they’ve had one Black teacher in elementary school, over 30%more destined if they have had two. Black boys benefit even more than Black girls. With a Black teacher in grades 3-5, boys express nearly 30%greater intent to attend college and a consider-ably reduced desire to quit high school, according to the Center for Black educators development Undoubtedly due to Black teacher’s superior anticipations for Black students, they are rewarded with better outcomes for them with higher test scores and increased attendance.
There is an urgency to increase the recruitment of Black teachers, who represent only 7% of the 3.8 million public school teachers in the U.S. But a preponderance of Black teachers who previously embraced instructing now yearn to escape their profession. Not only does Texas underpay teachers by$8,828 compared to the national average, but Black teachers working in public schools are of-ten required to work too long hours, at lower pay, and accept more difficult assignments.
