Growing up in Gary, Indiana, I never thought I would be part of Black history multiple times.
I graduated high school with a 2.5 GPA and one opportunity to play college basketball. I took advantage of that opportunity and became the first college graduate in my family.
I made history. In June 2019, after serving eight years as an assistant principal, I became the first black male principal in Wayne Township. Once again, I made history.
Then, in 2023, I once again made history by becoming the first Black male principal at Park Tudor School. I grew up seeing Black male teachers, principals and superintendents at every level from elementary to high school.
Seeing these Black men in classrooms and walking the hallways helped me believe I could become a leader in my community, an educator and have an impact on people that look like me. Black History Month is a great opportunity for Black people to reflect on the accomplishments of African Americans.
For this Black History Month, I want us to begin to think about how we can not just celebrate our history, but make history, by getting more black men into education as teachers, principals and superintendents.
Change the conversation: More than an athlete
As a community, we need to change how we see our young men and how we measure success in relation to careers. I often see adults ask young men, “What sport do you play?”
Many parents enter their boys into sports at an early age, in an effort to help them be more active, create important social skills, and find something they are interested in. I am guilty of this very thing!
To change the conversation we must help our young men fall in love with learning and leadership and as do with sports expose them to those two things at an early age. Young men must see black men leading in schools and at every level of our educational environment. I understand my place as an educator when I walk into a school and my responsibility to represent black men in education as best as possible.
As an educator at a PWI, Black students are drawn to my presence based on my position, the commonality in our culture, and the desire to be heard and understood. Black boys, at an early age, need to be exposed to opportunities that allow them to have an impact on others and their community. This could be in the form of community services, opportunities created by their parents, or non-sports extracurriculars in their school. This exposure sets the stage for them to learn the impact they can have on others, just as Black male teachers and school leaders do each day.
We must celebrate our young men’s academic growth and success as much as we celebrate them as athletes.
Those Jordans we buy when our boys make the team should be replaced by purchasing Jordans and books when they succeed academically. Schools should consistently celebrate the success of black boys with the same level of attention as they are given in sports, with social media posts, local newspapers, and news stations. Black boys should see not only the value in learning but that learning can be rewarding, celebrated and lead to fame. This intentional change in our conversation changes our discussion with Black boys and can lead to more young boys pursuing careers in education.
Change the conversation: Teacher pay
You often hear that teachers do not get paid enough for the job they do. There is some truth to this statement as I believe teachers and school leaders should be paid more given the impact of their position. However, I am a witness to many teachers and school leaders, who have taken care of their families on teacher pay. It is possible to live a great life on a teacher’s salary.
When I speak with young Black men about going into education I encourage them to take advantage of the time opportunities during breaks and summers to create other streams of income to further advance them financially. Teaching also allows educators to become experts in their fields of instructions, teaching strategies, student motivation, and more. This expertise is valued in the education field and allows educators to monetize their knowledge. Black men and boys should enter the education field to not only teach but also become experts in the field that impacts the education world.
Change the conversation: The numbers don’t lie
The proportion of public school teachers who are Black men has been declining, from 6.5% in the 2017-18 school year to 1.3% in 2020-2021 according to the National Center for Education Statistics National Teacher and Principal Survey.
According to the same survey, only 2% of principals are Black males. Research shows that having a Black male teacher significantly increases the likelihood of Black students graduating high school and enrolling in college, particularly for low-income Black boys. It is time to change those numbers. It is time to make history.
Our Black children need to see Black men in the field of education. If you have a son, nephew, grandson or mentee, start the conversation now. Open the door to the possibility of becoming an educator by allowing them to meet with and talk with school leaders within Indianapolis. Black school leaders like Dr. Shawn Smith of the MSD of Lawrence Township, Roy Dobbs of Pike Township, David McGuire of the Recess Podcast, Dr. Brian Dinkins of Butler University, Victor Bush of Lawrence Township and many others who are great examples of the importance of a Black male presence in our schools.
As an educator for over two decades and history maker, I welcome the conversation and am ready to ask the question to our Black boys “Do you want to be a teacher, do you want to be a school leader?”
