Donna Y. Ford, PhD, Brian L.Wright, PhD, Aaron J. Griffen, PhD, Raphael Crawford, EdD, and Michael A. Robinson, EdD
Fed Up and Speaking Up:
Black Educators Share Recommendations to Reduce Biased and Unjust Suspensions of Black Boys
What Would You Do? Black Educators Speak Up
Racial disparities in suspensions can and do dampen Black boys’ enthusiasm toward school--they often get the message that school is a place where they are not welcome but, instead, are heavily watched and scrutinized (Ford, Wright, & Moore, in press; Wood et al., 2018). This, in turn, makes them less likely to be (pro)actively engaged and involved in acquiring academic knowledge and skills, socializing with classmates, and interacting with teachers. To suspend means to stop. As a result, far too many Black boys are denied genuine opportunities to achieve at high levels because of an unwelcoming and hostile classroom environment that contributes to inequities and negative assumptions. In the sections that follow, Black male educators who have P-12 and higher education experiences, share a few recommendations regarding what they would do in the cases of Erik and Patrick; in the spirit of advocacy and keeping Black boys in school and learning.
Racial disparities in suspensions can and do dampen Black boys’ enthusiasm toward school--they often get the message that school is a place where they are not welcome but, instead, are heavily watched and scrutinized (Ford, Wright, & Moore, in press; Wood et al., 2018). This, in turn, makes them less likely to be (pro)actively engaged and involved in acquiring academic knowledge and skills, socializing with classmates, and interacting with teachers. To suspend means to stop. As a result, far too many Black boys are denied genuine opportunities to achieve at high levels because of an unwelcoming and hostile classroom environment that contributes to inequities and negative assumptions. In the sections that follow, Black male educators who have P-12 and higher education experiences, share a few recommendations regarding what they would do in the cases of Erik and Patrick; in the spirit of advocacy and keeping Black boys in school and learning.
Biosketches
Brian L. Wright, PhD, is an associate professor and program coordinator of early childhood education at the University of Memphis.For a more thorough exploration of how teachers can nurture the Black boys in their classes, see my award-winning and bestselling book The Brilliance of Black Boys: Cultivating School Success in the Early Grades. He is a former early childhood teacher, consults nationally, and has written extensively on achieving African American boys P-12 and racial-ethnic identity of Boys of Color, and teacher identity development. Donna Y. Ford, PhD, is a distinguished professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University. She is in the Department of Educational Studies, Special Education Program. Professor Ford has written extensively in gifted and urban education, working to increase the representation of Black, Hispanic, and low-income students, along with preparing educators to be culturally responsive and equity-minded. Dr. Ford has 14 books and over 300 publications. She consults nationally and has received numerous awards. Aaron J. Griffen, PhD, is a P-12 practitioner-scholar with 20 years of experience in public and charter as a middle school English teacher, assistant principal, as a high school principal, and, currently, as a Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at DSST Public Schools in Denver, Colorado. His research interests include Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Culturally Responsive Instructional Leadership, Multicultural Curriculum and Instruction, African American Educational Lobbying, and Urban Policy and Analysis. In addition to serving in P-12, Dr. Griffen is the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Prosperity Educators, LLC and is the author of the soon to be released book The Power of a Praying Principal: An Attitude of Faith, Hope, Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality in Schools. Raphael Crawford, Ed. D. A former Tennessee highly effective P-12 principal and district level administrator, is currently chief consultant with The Crawford Group, LLC. He also serves as a principal mentor and dean of instruction with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. His research interests include the criminalization of students of color, non-traditional families, mirror neurons and ethical leadership, and urban school principals and superintendents. Michael Robinson, EdD, is the Founder and CEO of Forest Of The Rain Productions an Education Affairs Organization. He is the host of Parent Talk Live a weekly radio show with emphasis on educational topics germane to parents and educators. Dr. Robinson the Founder and Publisher of Living Education eMagazine, an online publication designed to expand the voices of the seldom heard in education, fair housing, parental/family engagement, academic research, and civic involvement. |
Fed Up and Speaking Up:
Black Educators Share Recommendations to Reduce Biased and Unjust Suspensions of Black Boys Resources
Writers Share Their Recommendations with Educators
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