Do African Centered Schools and HBCUs Really Prepare Students For The "Real World"?

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been under attack for decades, accused of being "unnecessary" in this supposedly "color blind" society. Many such schools, founded after Emancipation and providing that much needed boost for African Americans who had been deprived of education for generations, are now struggling with underfunding and lack of financial support. Likewise, many African Centered grammar schools and even some high schools, founded during the movement for black empowerment, have struggled to remain alive, also lacking the financial support to maintain dedicated teachers and quality programs.  Makita Kheperu, Chief Education officer at Betty Shabazz International Charter School and graduate of Howard University, examines the need for  education based on history culture and a collective goal for achievement as provided by institutions that stress pride in racial heritage. As a former school principal, classroom teacher and a parent of two children attending the PUSH Excel HBCU Tour during this Spring Break, she discusses the effects of culturally based education on preparing African American students to succeed in the "real world."