Black Male Educators Have Unique Experiences in the Classroom, According to Largest Survey of Male Teachers of Color

NEW YORK, March 23, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- DonorsChoose, the largest crowdfunding nonprofit for public school teachers, released today a new report, Unique Impacts, Unique Burdens: Insights into the Black Male Educator Experience, that highlights the backgrounds, motivations, and experiences of Black male teachers at U.S. public schools. Approximately 5,000 K-12 educators were surveyed for the report, including nearly 1,700 respondents who identify as male teachers of color — the largest such cohort of any national survey.

Among the key findings, the survey shows that:

• Black male teachers spend more time with students outside of class time than teachers of any other demographic. Black male teachers reported spending an average of 4.6 hours per week tutoring students, spending 5.4 hours per week mentoring or counseling students, and hosting an average of 10 students per week in their classroom outside of school hours.
• Black male teachers are most likely to have entered the profession because they wanted to teach a curriculum that affirms the identities of students of color. 52% of Black male teachers agreed that affirming their students' identities helped motivate them to become a teacher. Educators who began teaching after 2010 were the most likely to report choosing the profession because they see teaching as social justice, with male teachers of color more likely to report this than White male educators.
• Black teachers of all gender identities experience the "invisible tax" much more intensely than other teachers of color. Black teachers are three times more likely than other teachers of color to report that, because of their race, they are expected to discipline students of color.

"Having more diverse teachers helps close both the achievement and opportunity gaps for students of color, and over the past two years teachers of color went through the most challenging time by having navigated through the pandemic and the racial reckoning in the country," said Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of Center of Black Educator Development. "These findings will help draw attention to some of the urgent needs Black male of teachers of color have in our public schools system."

"Today's report is both timely and urgent," said Travis J. Bristol, PhD, a University of California, Berkeley professor and leading researcher on Black men in the teaching profession. "Understanding Black men teachers' school-based experiences will allow policymakers and practitioners to (re)design schools that allow these teachers to teach as well as allow their students to learn."

To celebrate the release of the report, DonorsChoose and several backers of the survey funded all of the classroom requests from Black male teachers on DonorsChoose. The funding supported 550 projects from 411 teachers, totaling $590,595 in support. John Legend, a supporter of the survey, also joined several teachers in a webinar on Wednesday to review the survey findings and discuss the impact Black male educators have in the classroom.

"Black men make up two percent of teachers nationwide, and we know through this survey that they play invaluable roles in schools and communities across the country," said Kristina (Steen) Lyles, Vice President of Equity & Impact at DonorsChoose. "This survey offers insight into some of the experiences of our Black male teachers and other male teachers of color. We hope that by sharing their stories we can uplift their voices, empower them in their work, and help keep them in the classroom."

"When a student sees a teacher who looks like them standing at the front of their classroom it is a powerful, life-changing experience," said New York City Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, who was provided a preview of the survey findings. "A diverse workforce of educators supports both the academic and social growth of our students, and educators who are deeply rooted in the communities they serve often go above and beyond to support young people. This survey confirms what we already know to be true about educators of color and we look forward to working with Donors Choose to increase diversity in our workforce."

DonorsChoose conducted the survey to amplify the voices of male teachers of color and help inform the national conversation surrounding race and equity in K-12 education. The survey is part of the nonprofit's data-inspired Equity Focus, which emphasizes support for students of color in low-income communities, as well as equity in crowdfunding support among teachers of all identities.

For a deeper look into the insights found by this survey please visit http://www.donorschoose.org/black-male-educator-insights.

About DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is the leading way to give to public schools. Since 2000, 5.2 million people and partners have contributed $1 billion to support over 2 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted crowdfunding platform for teachers, donors, and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank yous and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, their highest ratings for transparency and accountability. For more information, visit http://www.donorschoose.org.

Media Contact

Juan Brizuela, DonorsChoose, (212) 239-3615, [email protected]

SOURCE DonorsChoose