From the field: We shall overcome—by focusing on black male students
By:
Donald Gill, Ed.D.Spring 2014
Apple Computer Corp. became the business success it is today because of a firm belief in challenging the status quo and thinking differently. As public educators we need to model this business strategy if we are to adequately address the challenges of preparing all students to compete in a global economy. Historically, educators have struggled to eliminate the achievement gap in which Asian and white students achieve at higher levels than Latino and African-American students.
As superintendent of the Antioch Unified School District, I look forward to reviewing student achievement data to inform our Continuous Improvement Cycle. Each year we celebrated the fact that our district’s achievement gap was narrowing. As gratifying as it was to celebrate those accomplishments, that data did not fully represent a true picture of what was going on with significant individual student groups. Last summer when we took a closer look at the aggregate data of each significant student group, one group appeared to be most at risk: our African-American male students. That was a sobering realization that made us even more determined to challenge the status quo and think differently to ensure that the success of every one of our students is realized.
It was hard to look at this data and, more importantly, to take ownership of the reality that we, as an educational system, were failing to fully address the academic and behavioral needs of African-American male students. While this problem is not unique to Antioch alone, that didn’t absolve us as an educational system and, just as importantly, as a community from taking all necessary steps to eradicate the inequity. Collectively, we made a commitment to provide more in the way of educational opportunities for our African-American male students. Doing so didn’t mean that we abdicated responsibility for other students by giving them less, thus creating another problem. It did mean that we, as a school system and a community of caring and compassionate citizens, faced this issue head-on and made our community of African-American male students a focal point and priority. This was the just and equitable action to take.
Last summer I had an opportunity to attend the California Linked Learning District Initiative Summer Institute at Stanford University. This institute focused on issues of student equity and leadership for instructional improvement. I was deeply moved by one of the keynote speakers, Dr. Yvette Jackson, who spoke of her 2011 book “The Pedagogy of Confidence: Inspiring High Intellectual Performance in Urban Schools.”
Dr. Jackson’s body of research focuses on helping teachers truly believe in the intellectual potential of their students—specifically African-American students. Her research points to the fact that by identifying student strengths and providing enriching learning options, those strengths can surface and lead to higher levels of achievement. It also highlights the importance of good teaching, targeted intervention, and student and adult relationships.
Dr. Jackson’s research helped me and other institute participants understand the true meaning of educational equity. Many have subscribed to the flawed theory of “equal,” believing that if everyone is given equal opportunities then it is the individual’s fault for failing. We ignore centuries of oppressive policies and practices that have intentionally marginalized black males and, in doing so, skirt the issue of equity. In the absence of equity, students of color and black males in particular do not fare well in the public education system. This is evidenced by the fact that black males are overrepresented in special education, disciplinary referrals, and suspension and expulsion. They are also less likely to be enrolled in rigorous coursework, including the key disciplines of science and math, and are more likely to drop out of high school.
African-Americans continue to be challenged by inequities in educational opportunities. Years of “historical trauma” that has passed wordlessly through generations have impacted African-American students’ achievement, particularly males. African-American males are disproportionately referred to special education and for discipline, and not identified for gifted and talented programs and Advanced Placement courses. We as a district determined that drastic action was needed to reverse this debilitating trend which has severe consequences not only for our community, but for society as a whole.
District staff met with key stakeholders to refine and enact policies, develop systemic programs, and allocate resources to ensure that African-American male students are successful in our education system. We formed a group known as the African-American Male Initiative, which meets biweekly in the evening hours to accommodate the varied schedules of our parents, community representatives, teacher leaders and administrators. These volunteers have established clearly articulated goals to ensure that the district diligently works to identify African-American males for gifted and talented programs and to refer for special education only those who truly meet the criteria. They have also targeted African-American males for enrollment in Advanced Placement courses and science, technology and engineering programs so that they are prepared for high pay-high skill jobs upon completion of their high school education or postsecondary educational experience.
Furthermore, the committee is recommending that the district further institute restorative justice practices so that, whenever possible, African-American males are not suspended for discretionary reasons such as perceived “defiance” which may have its roots in racial bias. Our district has instituted “Equity Walks” at all of our schools to ensure that quality teaching—the number one predictor of student success—is occurring in all of our classrooms. And finally, we have pledged to work with our parents and community so that we live up to the ideal of being our brother’s keeper—within the school walls and at large.
We need fresh thinking to help create environmental, psychological and educational conditions that will support and encourage all of our students, with a special focus on those who grow up in poverty and who face discrimination. Supporting those who need it most supports us all as individuals and as a community. In the words of Albert Einstein: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
President Obama recently introduced his “My Brother’s Keeper” campaign to help young African-American and Latino males with a variety of coordinated intervention efforts. This was a great validation of the work of the Antioch Unified School District’s African-American Male Initiative. As California school board members and superintendents, we have influence over the destinies of our students. Teachers, principals, governance teams, parents, local government and community leaders should take a leadership role in addressing this challenge. Working together and speaking with a bold voice and a clear purpose, we can close the gap between our African-American males’ potential and their academic and social achievement. By providing targeted and focused attention on our African-American male students, we seize the opportunity to create a wise investment in California’s future by making real the promise of public education. CS
Donald Gill, Ed.D., is superintendent of the Antioch Unified School District.