Parent Talk Live: Value of African American Male Teachers

This special Parent Talk will examine the importance of male teachers in the academic success of African American Males. The lack of African American male teachers has been defined as a nationwide problem (Tate-Billingsley, 2010). Data indicates that only two percent of the American five million teachers are African American males. United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan suggested that if America is to reduce the number of African American young men who fail to graduate, it is imperative that men of color are teaching (Tate-Billingsley, 2010). During this amazing conversation we will discuss the reasons behind the African American male teacher shortage and its impact on minority students. In the 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males a study conducted by the Schott Foundation it was reported that the graduation rate for African American Males in the United State has become so dismal that an African American male has a better chance of being incarcerated than they have at earning a high school diploma. According to the report, the national graduation rate for African Americans males is 47% compared to 78% for white male students. This represents an achievement gap of 31%. Maryland has a graduation rate of 55% which is 8% higher than the national average and places the state in the top ten of states with large minority populations. Invited guest for the first show includes: · Dr. Roy Jones is lecturer and executive director for the Eugene T. Moore School of Education's Call Me MISTER Program at Clemson University. The mission of the Call Me MISTER (acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role-models) · Mr. Bryan G. Nelson is the Executive Director of MenTeach. He was joined by Bruce Sheppard and other men (and backed by supportive women) to offer a workshop at a state professional conference to find more men (and women) who believed that it is important to have men teachers.