The Importance of Supporting Black Educators

Written By: Deidra Fogarty

A growing body of research shows that Black students benefit from having Black educators. Studies indicate that when Black students from low-income families are taught by at least one Black teacher between third and fifth grades, their likelihood of dropping out of school decreased by 29 percent. The probability of Black male students from low-income families dropping out of school fell to 39 percent when they were taught by at least one Black teacher during the same grade levels.

While it’s great to see schools ramping up their efforts to hire Black educators, much work still needs to be done to support and retain them. Too often, Black educators feel overlooked, underutilized, and unsupported. When they advocate for themselves or their students, they are labeled as troublemakers, silenced, pushed out, or denied opportunities for promotion. This creates a toxic work environment, leading to mental health difficulties for black educators.

It's not enough for schools to heavily recruit black educators and put them on social media ads or send out recruitment emails. They must create a safe and supportive environment for Black educators to thrive. Schools must provide Black educators coaching, support, and empowerment to help them develop their strengths and move into leadership positions.

Black educators deserve to be their authentic selves at work without fear of being judged or punished. Schools need to provide a safe space for Black educators to be themselves and to grow as professionals. Schools should also be transparent about their retention statistics and use exit survey data to identify why Black educators leave.

More educators are using their social media platforms to speak up about this issue and bring it to light. Some are even marking schools as safe or unsafe for Black educators. If schools don't step up and prioritize the retention of Black educators, they risk being blackballed by educators who refuse to work in unsafe environments.

If schools are serious about recruiting and retaining Black educators, they need to put the same energy into supporting and coaching them as they do in their recruitment efforts. Schools must have a comprehensive plan that includes promoting Black educators to leadership positions, supporting black executive-level leadership, and having black board members.

It's time to take action to create safe and supportive work environments for Black educators. Teachers may have to take matters into their own hands if schools do not step up. The impact of not supporting Black educators is far-reaching and can negatively affect the educational outcomes of Black students. It's time for schools to prioritize the retention and support of Black educators to create a positive and effective learning environment for all students.