US needs more Black male teachers: NewsOne

NEW YORK -- The presence of Black male teachers emerges as a catalyst for transformative learning experiences at US schools, but the lack of their presence is a concerning trend that doesn't seem to be getting any better, reported NewsOne, a news portal for Black America, on Wednesday.

According to Time, more than 20 percent of public school teachers, including those at charter schools, in the United States identify as people of color, but only 7 percent of teachers identify as Black.

"For Black men, those numbers sink even lower. Based on data from Teach For America, Black men make up only 2 percent of the US public school teaching force and are leaving the profession at a higher rate than their peers," said the report, noting that one of the more obvious factors of why there aren't more Black teachers is money, debt and the racial disparities in wealth.

When a Black student goes to college in hopes of pursuing a teaching career they are more likely to rely on student loans for their graduate and undergraduate education compared to their white counterparts. This debt is stifling many young Black male teachers who might not be able to afford a living on a modest teacher's salary, said the report.

On average, a high school teacher can expect to make around 60,000 US dollars a year, which varies from state to state. Many Black male teachers do not see a way to feed their families on a teacher's salary. "The strenuous obligations of teaching as well as the financial burdens of debt push Black male teachers away from a profession where they are so desperately needed," it added.