One of my kids today asked my why there weren’t more black teachers.
I work in a school that is about 50/50 black and white, we are in the city, and we have 2 black teachers. And about 45 white teachers.
It’s something I’ve thought about before.
Maybe there are, just not where we live.

Anyone have incite into this?
What are the breakdowns at your school?

likesmart
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The recruitment of TOC has never been a priority. In a predominantly white community, it is rarely spoken of. Our young black women flocked to the last black elder woman who taught at our school. She taught Latin to her classes, and was the most important faculty member on campus for over 10 years.

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#History & location of many Black teachers’ origins in the U.S. - where they were nurtured.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2021/05/13/why-applications-and-enrollment-are-spiking-at-historically-black-colleges/

I can't speak for every black teacher just myself.

My parents drilled into me and my siblings getting a good education was a way to increase my earning potential and help have a better life than they did growing up. Teachers weren't lauded by them as a high earning potential-they hoped for engineers and accountants etc. But the passion for learning they instilled in us "backfired" and 4 of us became teachers. But, since having pensions is possible in some districts, my Dad, a career-long government employee, didn't fuss too much.

In short, I assume some families, regardless of color, when the means of attending a 4 year college is present- don't consider teaching to be a slam dunk pass to a "good" life.

likesmarthelpful

@msht1

Agreed. I see the exact same thing with my students.

My comment at most covers only a small factor as to why I have few black peers. The next generation, might be affected by the small percentage of Black teachers in mine. Some may never consider a possibility they have never seen. If they are deciding on their own and see swoozie, Neil degrass Tyson, kayne, LeBron etc- where does teaching even factor in?

You are spot on about the uncertainty factor. I work on a year to year contract and have my own savings account to hopefully have retirement years.

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The issue continues to persist. Interview teams are often all white. People hire the individual they are comfortable with. The same issue is found in literature, business, advertising, housing, entertainment... Minorities are under represented, segregation continues, and exclusion persists.

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ESSET2- I wish I knew a solution. I think it starts with colleges going out to try to recruit people to be teachers in the first place.
I think a lot of it also needs to be at the community level and people encouraging young adults to go into education. 

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We have 47 teachers, and two are black, two Hispanic. I think one of the big drawbacks to going into education is the pay. if I took my degree to the public sector, I would make about 2 1/2 times what I am making now. I feel very called to teaching, and my very basic needs are met, so it doesn't really bother me. But more money would be nice.

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I'm interested to hear what people have to say about this.

My district has an incredibly diverse population of students and families, yet I'm seeing the same as you - there are very few teachers that mimic our demographic.

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I saw a related post which said, "There is not a teacher shortage there is a shortage of people willing to go to college and graduate school to make $35k a year." My guess is that if you are a person of color you might opt for a career that rewards all of your years of hard work at a higher level especially if you collected college debt along the way. Our school district is beginning to become more diverse in our staff which is exciting!

likesmart

I’ve jumped districts a lot, and it really comes down to where you are. 6 black educators and 1 black administrator at my school

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MMS1- I guess I’m just a bit surprised that there aren’t more teachers of color at the school that I am at and a few of our neighboring schools because we have a very large population of people of color. 

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Most of the young men of color I have in CTE classes when asked about careers are going to NBA or NFL and most of the young women of color are going to be nurses or beauticians. Teachers doesn’t seem to be a high priority in our district over 90% BIPOC students.

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To be honest- with my current level of frustration with the profession- I am not certain I could encourage any of my students to become conventional school teachers.


Maybe Coaches, Hr on boarding, docents, tour guides, curators etc- for those with that teaching spark.

likesmart

You have to get them into education programs by starting and telling students of color that they have the brains and personality to succeed, and one field they could succeed in is teaching.
Then, you have to get them through the HR department. They have proven over and over again that resumes with “black sounding” names are passed over for jobs for “more white” names even though the qualifications are identical.
Next, you have to make sure POC are hired. Look for opportunities to do so.
Once POC are hired, mentor them, as all new teachers should be mentored. This is one area where most schools fall short. Good mentoring will help retain POC as teachers.

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MHS1-
I think good mentoring helps retain any teacher, not only POC‘s.
I tell all of my students, my white students and my students of color, every day that they are smart and that they can do anything they want to do in life. 

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At my school we want more Native teachers. Thinking it is a similar scenario, in that it’s not discrimination just a lot of one skin color going into teaching field. Please remember a good teacher is a good teacher regardless and to teach or future there is one race of humans.

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Our district has only one black teacher. This is not because we don't hire black teachers, but because they don't apply. There are way more white people going to college to be teachers than other races. To be honest, if you are black and apply here, you have a better chance of getting the job because that population is so underrepresented. We need more black role models in our districts but we cannot hire them if no one applies. Like one person stated, we have a predominately white interview committee, but that is only because we don't have other races to put on the committee. As for my district, it is not a race issue at all. It is a issue of not enough black students going to college to become a teacher.

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There is only one black teacher that works at my school.

We have 26 teachers. All white 🥺
I would love to see more diversity.

Well my school is mostly white students but our district is not. But even those schools don’t have many Black teachers.
I’m really interested in this topic. It’s made me wonder for awhile too.

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I’m a black teacher 29 years in my career. I work at a school that is only 12 miles or so from downtown LA. I don’t have a large black student population but there is a large black population in the surrounding area.

In my 28 years in this district we have only had 5 or 6 black teachers. I have never had another black teacher on my campus. In my situation it has to do with property and maybe interest in working in such a location. The cost, the demographics etc. My school is in an area that was once considered a Redline area. We have a 2.5% black population in the city, Whittier California. That said I have had a great experience as a teacher at my school with my coworkers as well as my students and the parents. Everyone knows who I am and knows me by name, lol.



CMS1- I’m so happy you have had a great experience as a teacher!!

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Maybe they just don't want to be teachers. It's a thankless job, the pay isn't great, the administration loves to bow down to parents. Teachers are stifled in their creativity and teach to the test in some places. Why would anyone want to be a teacher? Then we have the union, where the students best interests are not theirs...I don't know why anyone would want to teach in the current environment.

History leaves its residue on the present, as we are experiencing across many sectors and arenas today!

Thus is a reason that “dismantling” the old and building anew, with different goals from that past is essential.

@North Carolina ES 1

“But Brown also had an unintended consequence, the effects of which are still felt today: It caused the dismissal, demotion, or forced resignation of many experienced, highly credentialed black educators who staffed black-only schools. After the decision, tens of thousands of black teachers and principals lost their jobs as white superintendents began to integrate schools but balked at putting black educators in positions of authority over white teachers or students.”

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