Black students feel more engaged with a Black teacher because it’s safer being taught by someone who can understand the reality of being Black in America.
This post was originally published on Defender Network
If you click on the hashtag #WeNeedBlackTeachers on social media, you will see the collective responses of thousands of people describing the ways Black teachers have positively impacted students nationwide.
The non-profit the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) is the creator of the national campaign, which strives to raise awareness about the shortage of Black teachers and inspire Black students to consider becoming future educators themselves. It launched in September and has expanded nationally with hopes of making an impact in multiple cities, including Houston.
“Our campaign is centered around students. They are reflecting on their lived experiences and their voices aren’t tapped into enough,” said Sharif El-Mekki, CEO and founder of the CBED. “We want to help these students become effective future educators and connect the dots to becoming leaders in educational justice.”