Where Are The Black Students?

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There’s a problem affecting black students. Most of us know that there is a problem. We may not know what exactly the problem is or where the problem is located but we know there is an obvious problem. You don’t have to know statistics and the percentage of African-Americans who are graduating from high school or college now. Just look around your classrooms.

I took a course in college on Slavery and Abolition. I was excited because up until then I was always the only black kid in history courses when we talked about slavery. Which meant one of two things. Either everyone turns to me like I was there and expects me to tell them all about it. Or two, they try to avoid my eye contact like I think they were there and they were beating my ancestors.

Anyway, I went into the classroom bright eyed and with great hopes to meet these mythical Black College Students. Walked in and there was only one other black kid. Cot dangit. I could have ignored that and went about my business. But that class was basically a reflection of blacks in school in general not just college. We’re dropping out of high school sooner and we’re dropping out of college sooner if we even go. This article isn’t going to focus on the negatives though. There are plenty of articles, songs, entire books and magazines devoted to that.

We need real life solutions.  I was in a meeting earlier this week about this very thing. One of the men there was a principal at a local school and said that when college kids do come to volunteer and help out and speak to the kids about going to college they are all white. The school is predominately black and when they see white people it’s always college kids. When they see black people it’s in sports and music fields on TV and they conditioned to believe that is what is acceptable. The speaker made the comment that if just one or two black students could show their face it would make a world of difference.

Often we don’t want to volunteer or help because we don’t think we have anything to offer. Maybe you aren’t good at math or don’t know how to help Timmy face that bully. Maybe you don’t know how to help a high school student prep for the SATs or learn basic skills to get through school. Think about it though. Even if you didn’t get straight A’s or get a 2400 on the SATs, you somehow made it to college. You somehow made it out of high school. You somehow have your right mind and are on track. That means you have something to offer.

People underestimate just how much hanging out with someone can do. You don’t have to do complicated logarithms to boost a kid’s chances to succeed. Attention goes such a long way. Yes however if you are gifted in some academic area people can use you. It’s hard to find and that’s unfortunate but this article is working to merge the gap.

Earlier this week I went to apply for a mentor program. They told me they had enough mentors. That made me laugh out loud because that’s like saying “Oh no. All the children are fixed. They’re all on the right track now. The achievement gap has been closed. We’re good. Holla!” I do understand that a program can only hold so many people but it’s funny when someone actually does want to take the steps to help out and then are turned away.

So with all that being said, if you run a program or know of a program regardless of where you are located geographically please let me know. Either in a comment, twitter, or hit me in an email. I’ll do a followup to this post with places that people are actually needed. While there are Big Brother, Big Sister programs and Boys and Girls Clubs where people can volunteer, maybe you work at a school that needs just a 1 hour commitment where someone can come in and just talk to your kids about how they made it to college. I’ll post those places when people tell me about them and then you can help out.

What can we do, realistically right here and right now to help close the achievement gap. No hypothetical situations like “give back to the community”. What are you doing to help Black students get to college? How are you helping your community?

Originally Posted Here

Article by Michelle Huxtable

Michelle Huxtable is a little Michelle Obama and a little Claire Huxtable. You can catch more from her at www.michelle-huxtable.com. Follow at Twitter.com/MichelleHux

Michelle has written 21 article(s) for us.