To advocate for the pressing need for greater diversity in education, the City Teacher Alliance and the University of Idaho set to host a Zoom panel event on Feb. 27 tackling the stark reality of the 2% rate of Black male teachers in education and why it is a problem.
A series of questions were asked to four guest panelists on the teacher workplace and the roles they encountered. These panelists were Kyair Butts, secondary English Language Arts teacher, Mike Payne, secondary math teacher, Tut Jikany, secondary ELA teacher, and Jamirious Mooney, elementary education teacher.
These teachers are previous participants of the City Teacher Alliance. They all have worked or are currently working in some of the 350 schools the program is partnered with. CTA since 2009 has worked with over two thousand teachers in getting a master’s in teaching and providing jobs in education in Baltimore, Dallas, DC, and most recently Philadelphia.
The questions were presented by Tavon Betts, an alumnus of CTA in Baltimore and its current Director of Partnerships. The topics he had the panelists discuss were the identity of a Black male teacher, the challenges they face, and most of the impact they have on child education and the new environment they bring.
Betts first wanted to discuss the impact a black male has in the classroom. Butts discussed the impact becoming a teacher had on him.
“My identity came into question a lot my first year teaching…I just had constant repeating questions of am I black enough, am I good enough” Payne answered adding that identity is everything in being a teacher.
“Who you are as a Black male to the kids is important because you are their experience… I needed to at the very least see them and show them that their identity is valid.” Payne said.
In discussing identity in becoming a teacher, the panelist also explained in what ways CTA had particularly helped them in their journey to becoming teachers. Mooney, the newest teacher of them all found appreciation in CTA help when he moved to DC.
“CTA allowed me to get to know the community in which I was teaching when I moved to DC” Monney explained, “This is important for getting that understanding because it meant what kind of teacher I would be to a more diverse group of students.”
Jikany expressed his appreciation for the CTA on seeing his identity and values. “It always seemed like a black male was put in a box where they are more disciplinary and seen as just handling the aggressive kids…CTA has been able to put me further and let me know my identity and the values I hold are important in the classroom”
Betts soon changed the tone of the discussion asking the panelists about the challenges they face in their careers. Payne took charge as he explained his struggle with being heard. He first discusses his first years teaching saying, “My first year I used as a gadget teacher…The focus became my talent with discipline and relationships instead of the academics, making me feel not valued and used in the way I liked to be.”
The challenges turned into hopes as the panelists shared what they wished for as progression for black male educators. Butts discussed where he would like to see more Black educators, he explained, “We need more black educators in every stage of learning, but mostly in elementary grade levels” he also added the challenge of making a change like that happen but expressed that “Change takes a really long time in the education institution, we must do something about it, or nothing will ever get done”
Payne agreed with Butts and added saying, “You can’t bring people into a system that is broken…How young black kids are treated early on sets the tone on how they are going to be for the rest of their time at school.” Payne’s claims imply that change must happen in how diverse children are raised in school. Showing a person’s perception of school is how they are treated in that environment.
To continue this embrace of change, Betts wanted the panelists to explain how their presence contributes to more inclusive learning environments.
Mooney expressed his experience as an educator explaining, “Just being a Black male, I catch an attitude and now I am aggressive hard to work with, when really my boundaries were just pushed. But because we weren’t raised to set those lines, I have to now teach my kids not only how to set boundaries as black kids, but also teach everyone else how to respect those boundaries”
Reflecting his own experiences in the classroom and projecting the value of a person’s differences and boundaries. Monney then added, “The barriers I have been breaking down are boundaries. You don’t need to like everyone, but you do need to respect them”
Payne added claiming that it is helping women in teaching as well. “Our increased presence in of the black male presence is really just helping lift this boulder of education for children and creating more of a community that isn’t so one dimensional”
To end the panel Betts asked for the panelists to reflect on their experiences and give advice for future potential black male educators. Mooney jumped to express the value of individuality in a teacher. “At the end of the day your classroom thrives when you are authentically yourself…kids build connection without you even trying because they are enjoying the environment they are in.”
Payne lastly informed the value of growing and gaining experience. “Your experience will be your best educator…if you are feeling rebellious, pick and choose your hills to die one, fighting for every little thing will burn you out in the first couple of years”
Sophia Newell can be reached at [email protected]