TEACHER VOICE: The black men who proved that a student like me could be a teacher like them
Three ways we can begin to reimagine, reinvent the U.S. teaching force
I became a teacher because of the influence and mentorship of Mr. Murray and Mr. Simms, two elementary-school teachers in Detroit.
They were excellent and ensured that I engaged in learning every day. They persevered when at first I did not understand a concept, and they had stern but caring dispositions. Mr. Murray and Mr. Simms took an interest in who I was as a student. They also looked like me: They were black men.
Seeing a diverse teaching force at the helm of the classroom showed me that teaching was a viable career for a black student in Detroit, and they inspired me to follow my dream of becoming a teacher.
Today, more than half of K-12 students in the United States are students of color, yet four out of five teachers are white. More than 75 percent of teachers are women. Having a diverse teaching force isn’t a “nice-to-have”: It’s integral to the success of all students, and especially students of color and students like me.
We have a diversity problem across our teaching force, and we must do more to ensure that people of color can see themselves as teachers and are welcomed into the teaching profession. We must implement CONTINUE READING: OPINION: A diverse teaching force helps black male students succeed
