Middle school educator Jeffrey Lee is the only black male English teacher at the school, which serves about 815 students in northwest Philadelphia.
”It can be a lonely existence. “I feel like I’m the last dinosaur to roam the earth,” Lee said. “I’m having my students say, ‘You’re the first African American or male teacher of color.'”
Seventy years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlawed racial discrimination in public schools, Lee’s story speaks to the lingering disparities in schools across the country. Students of color now make up more than half of America’s students, but the number of teachers and principals of color is not maintained. Quickly.
Analyzing state-by-state data from the New Teacher Project, A majority of U.S. campuses are less likely than public schools to We found that nearly a quarter had no educators of color on staff. Meanwhile, students of color made up the majority in public schools.
Teacher representation hasn’t kept up: About a quarter of teachers nationwide identify as people of color, according to a nonprofit analysis. Research conducted by academics shows that when teachers from diverse backgrounds are present, students as a whole, and students of color in particular, perform better academically, so disparities hinder learning. .
The reasons for the disparity vary, but education experts told USA TODAY that the disparity is part of a legacy and an unintended consequence of education. Brown v. Board of Education Ruling.
how Brown v. Board of Directors contributed to the imbalance in teacher diversity.
On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court held that the segregation of children on the basis of race in public schools is inherently unequal and violates the right to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. I have given a verdict.
The outlawing of racial segregation in schools was a victory for the civil rights movement, but it infuriated southern white leaders, superintendents, and parents.
in front of Brown v. Board of Directors Education Week reported that the ruling meant that in 17 states with single-sex schools, black teachers made up between 35 and 50 percent of the workforce. As a result of this decision, many black schools were closed, thousands of black educators were forced from the field, and less qualified white teachers replaced them, said John E., director emeritus of education policy at Howard University. Professor Leslie Fenwick writes: Politico editorial.
Tequila Brownie, CEO of the nonprofit New Teacher Project, said the sharp decline in the number of Black educators in the workforce was an unintended consequence of the ruling. .
“The current lack of diversity among our nation’s educators is a direct result of: Brown (v. Board of Directors),” Brownie said. “It had a devastating impact not only on school buildings and their demographics, but also on Black communities and families. Educators of color were the linchpin in creating a middle class in their communities.”
Workforce diversity also limited opportunities for postwar Latinx educators in 1947. Mendez vs. Westminster In this decision, a circuit judge in California ruled that forced segregation between Mexican-American and white students was unconstitutional.The incident set a precedent for Brown v. Board of Educationaccording to the Zinn Education Project, is a historical content collaboration between the Rethinking Schools and Educating for Change groups.
Both incidents will have repercussions for decades to come.
Many other factors contribute to teacher diversity imbalances
Beyond milestones, several factors limit teachers of color’s access to the workforce, hinder their entry into the workforce, and make it difficult for them to sustain their careers as educators. experts told USA TODAY. They include:
- teacher dismissal: Schools are laying off teachers en masse in preparation for losing funding due to the coronavirus in the fall. In recent years, many schools have hired educators of color, who are removed from their roles if they work in a school with a “last in, first out” policy where the last teacher hired is fired. It turns out. (According to a study by the national nonprofit Brookings Institution, the fiscal cliff is expected to impact students of color and students in low-income areas the most.)
- burnout and frustration: In recent years, some teachers of color have left the profession, citing burnout, low morale, pandemic-related stressors, and a toxic climate of political attacks on schools. Educators and school leaders of color are also concerned about school safety issues, including an increase in shootings and misbehavior among children, said Sharhonda of Educational Leaders of Color.・I informed the CEO of Bossier.
- economic concerns: Low wages, expensive teacher training programs and difficult exams are holding back people of color interested in teaching from joining the workforce, multiple education experts told USA TODAY.
- Lack of representation in leadership roles: America’s schools are facing a pipeline problem, says the top New Leaders, a national nonprofit organization with a mission to train and develop “transformative and equity-focused” school leaders. said Jean Delavines, CEO.Teachers of color are being held back from leadership roles and are missing out on opportunities to lift up other teachers., Delavines said.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Reductions: Conservative lawmakers passed a bill requiring schools to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, resulting in educators of color being cut from those jobs.
What does it take to close the gap?
To close this gap, American schools would need to hire about 1 million teachers of color and 30,000 leaders of color, according to an analysis of federal data for the 2017-2018 school year. It is necessary to do so. The analysis was published by the Million Teachers of Color Campaign, a consortium of education organizations that advocates for increasing teacher diversity.
Education experts outlined many ways the federal government, states, and schools can work together to improve access for educators of color.
One approach could be to change the way schools implement layoffs. Some want schools to eliminate “last in, first out” layoff policies to avoid forcing out newly hired teachers of color when funding runs out.
States could also fund programs to help recruit teachers of color, such as “Grow Yourself” programs that encourage paraprofessionals to become teachers in schools where they are already employed. Another solution is for districts to fund teacher training that allows those with a bachelor’s degree to teach alongside teachers in the classroom while pursuing a certification or completing a fellowship or practicum. can be provided.
Another way to correct the imbalance would be to pay teachers better. Some people of color worry that encouraging young people to take up low-paying teaching jobs will further exacerbate the racial wealth gap, Bozier said. Ta. Mr. Bodger left his teaching job many years ago, in part because of the difference in income with his co-workers. While working as a teacher, she had to waitlist to supplement her income, she recalled.
It would also help to invest in recruiting, training and retaining school leaders of color, who are more likely to hire, promote and support teachers whose backgrounds match student demographics, Delavines said. Ta.
One such funding source is readily available, according to Education Department Secretary Miguel Cardona. Cardona also reiterated his call for states to spend COVID-19 relief funds to increase the diversity of their teaching staff. Some states have invested in their teacher pipelines over the past few years to fill these gaps. But those funds are soon drying up, and the trajectory of success remains uncertain.
One way we achieved success
In California, which invests in teacher training programs, Peter Watts’ Village Initiative program provides Black male teachers with housing, mentorship, and resources to teach in the Los Angeles neighborhoods in which they live and provide financial support. Now you can connect with the kids in your classroom without worrying. struggle.
Watts of the Village Initiative said one of the program’s teachers teaches U.S. history at a charter school in the Watts area of Los Angeles, and is able to live there thanks to financial and instructional support from the program. He says he can afford it.
Fonte-Smith said she was inspired to pursue the role by a black male teacher at the school where she grew up. He is now one of the only black male educators at the school where he teaches, a position similar to Lee’s at a middle school in Pennsylvania.
Both Mr. Smith and Mr. Lee have experienced offensive comments and remarks about their race from students in the classroom, but the role is challenging and they believe the role is a rewarding one for Black male leaders who respect their children. He said he felt he could expose himself to The two decided to get jobs because of the influence of their black teachers.
“You have to be someone who thinks, ‘This is bigger than me,'” Smith says. He said he is able to know that he potentially inspires as many as 150 students each year and that they will continue to inspire others.
“It spread like wildfire,” Smith said.
Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@usatoday.com. Follow @kaylajjimenez on X.
