This episode of What I Want to Know with Kevin P. Chavous is “How can we cultivate Black teachers?" with Founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development Sharif El-Mekki.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Black teachers currently account for only seven percent of all public school teachers.
This trend is attributed to the achievement and opportunity gaps among Black students. In fact, studies show that having at least one Black teacher reduces a Black student’s likelihood of dropping out of school by almost 40 percent.
How can we cultivate Black teachers? Why is developing Black teachers especially important for Black students? And how can we better train all teachers to support students regardless of their background.
In this episode Sharif El-Mekki joins Kevin to discuss the importance of developing and recruiting Black teachers.
