Urban education continues to face the same self-defeating dilemma in that there are two truths that those of us in the field consider to be evidence-based facts.
- Students of color have better outcomes when they have even one teacher who looks like them during their K-12 education.
- Teachers of color continue to be underrepresented in school systems across the country, here in Western Massachusetts, and throughout the Commonwealth. Those of us who are charged with the hiring for our schools have also noticed that the number of teachers of color being produced by the local teacher prep programs are decreasing. This concerning data point applies to both local colleges as well as non-traditional prep programs such as Teach For America and Teach Western Mass. And when we talk to our colleagues across the country, it’s clear that this is not just a local issue but rather a national trend. The data is familiar to leaders in the school system, particularly leaders of color—but for the uninitiated here’s some food for thought:
● Black females make up 5% of the nation’s teachers
● Black males make up 1.3%
● Hispanic females make up 3%
● Hispanic males make up 5% (mostly concentrated in Texas and California)
The numbers for Massachusetts are even more concerning, particularly with respect to male educators of color. The percentage of Black male teachers decreases to 1% with the vast majority of those teachers residing in the Boston area. Hispanic male teachers decrease to 4%, again concentrated in the eastern part of the state.
We often point blame at our teacher prep programs for failing to recruit sufficient numbers of candidates of color (and deservedly so) as I myself did earlier in this article. But we cannot overlook the part where educators of color enter our schools and fail to receive the coaching, support and feeling of community that makes them want to stay.
A group of Black men with extensive and varied experience in the educational field understood these various dynamics and endeavored to do something about it. From informal gatherings designed to give male educators of color a safe place to fellowship, to its current iteration as the organization known as The Forum, these men have taken up the call. I’ll let their founding President, Vilenti Tulloch, say it in his own words:
“At the Forum, our mission is to improve outcomes for youth by increasing the presence of men of color in K-12 school systems across Western Massachusetts. Research shows that male educators of color positively impact all students, particularly students of color. Their presence has been linked to improved academic performance, reduced absenteeism, social and emotional benefits, and long-term positive outcomes such as lower dropout rates and a higher likelihood of pursuing further education after grade school.
“The Forum consists of a great group of educators, community leaders, and amazing fathers who all recognize these benefits, therefore we are committed to breaking down the systemic barriers that male educators face. We aim to support initiatives focused on recruiting more male educators of color and establishing ongoing systems of support to retain those who are entering or currently working in the profession.
“Our efforts are concentrated in four key areas: fellowship, membership, professional development, and our social justice committee. With less than 2% of U.S. public school teachers being Black men—a statistic that is similarly low for all male educators of color—we are dedicated to supporting individuals who wish to enter the profession and those who are already contributing to the field, acknowledging the value they bring to education.” -Vilenti Tulloch
Vilenti, along with The Forum’s other founding members—Dr. David Rudder (Vice President), Steve Moguel (Secretary) and Dr. Marc Swygert (Executive Committee Member)—have spent their professional lives in service. And seeing that there’s more than one youth sports coach on that list, that commitment to service extends to their personal lives as well. It’s in that personal capacity that they, along with all the good brothers who show up to Level 5 on the last Thursday of every month, commit to creating a support system that will foster the recruitment, training and retention of male educators of color in schools across Western Massachusetts.
The Forum’s first event will be held on Saturday, September 21st at 9am on the campus of Springfield Technical Community College. This event is a panel discussion designed to begin the process of adding clarity to a system that often feels intentionally opaque. It is especially designed for men of color who want to serve their community by becoming educators. We hope you will join us. ■
