Black Men Educators Convening: an inspirational gathering
By Constance Garcio-Barrio
The statistics almost scream.
“Only three percent of teachers in the U.S. are Black men,” Roberto J. Rodriguez, assistant secretary in the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development in the U.S. Department, said at BMEC. “Only two percent of teachers in the U.S. are Latino Men,” Rodriguez added.
The sold-out conference brought together teachers, administrators, artists, policymakers, legislators, and other professionals to wrestle with the challenges of recruiting and retaining Black teachers, especially men, and ensuring a quality public school education for children of color.
“We’ve got to interrupt the pervasive message to our children that they’re not worthy,” said El-Mekki, “Participants in this collective approach the issue from different perspectives, but all of us here share the goal and the responsibility for giving our children an excellent education.”
