By Mina White, DFER Policy Analyst
What if we lived in a world where George Zimmerman offered Trayvon Martin a ride home since it was raining that night?
President Obama gave a speech on Friday responding to the Trayvon Martin verdict. Obama sent prayers from himself and Michelle to Trayvon’s family applauding their grace and dignity in the wake of their son’s death and trial of George Zimmerman. Obama also acknowledged the racial profiling African-Americans face every day, and shared his personal experiences of people locking their car doors as he walked by. It cannot be denied that African-American males are disproportionately involved in violence, however, it is important to understand these circumstances are born out of a difficult history.
The most empowering pieces of Obama’s message last week were his call to action in response to the tragedy of Trayvon’s death. President Obama wants Americans to invest in the future of young black males by making them feel valued and giving them a positive vision of their role in our society.
“I’m not naïve about the prospects of some grand, new federal program. I’m not sure that that’s what we’re talking about here. But I do recognize that as President, I’ve got some convening power… for us to be able to gather together business leaders and local elected officials and clergy and celebrities and athletes, and figure out how are we doing a better job helping young African-American men feel that they’re a full part of this society and that they’ve got pathways and avenues to succeed.”
Our country needs to change its attitudes for the young black male population to thrive. The past cannot be changed or corrected. We can, however, acknowledge how we have come to be in this situation and recognize our biases, which is an important step in moving in the right direction, especially when it comes to the educational opportunities we provide to black youth.
Only 10 percent of black males in the United States are proficient in 8th grade reading and only 62 percent graduate from high school. Although the gap between Black and White male high school graduation rates decreased by 30 percent (three percentage points) over the last 10 years, the fact remains that at this rate, it will take 50 years to completely close the gap.
There are many factors contributing to the academic failures of black males. Stereotypes held by some teachers, counselors, staff, and administrators certainly play a role in some cases. Research shows, for example, that some guidance counselors treat low-income and minority students as academically incapable and steer them toward less rigorous academic or vocational programs. Black students are also much more likely to be disciplined and suspended from school than their white counterparts for the same infractions. The U.S. Civil Rights data collection project shows that in 2010, black students were suspended eight times more than whites for cell phone use, six times as much for dress code violation, and twice as much for disruptive behavior.
It is especially important for our educators to understand their student population in a historical and cultural context to be most effective in the classroom. Young people are sensitive and extremely perceptive of adults, and having negative experiences in school will hold back students from reaching their potential. Young people need to be in nurturing environments that communicate high expectations in order to bring out positive and productive behaviors.
We have known for years black males face a tremendous amount of adversity and it comes from all directions: home, school, work, and in the community. It is the responsibility of all Americans to take part in changing the stigma of being a black male to a point of honor and distinction. George Zimmerman was a leader in his community and his assessment of Trayvon Martin as a black male led to his tragic death. Let us honor Trayvon by opening our hearts to change.
Mina White joined DFER in 2013 after working with urban youth in St. Paul Minnesota at TRiO/Upward Bound; a federally funded college access program for limited-income and first-generation high school students. Recognizing a need for equity in education she plans to have a bigger impact for all students through education reform.