The Drop-out Crisis Affecting Boys of Color
In the year 2009, on a visit to a Virginia high
school, President Obama made a comment that found full agreement with
many educators across the country. He said “…you can’t drop out of professional
success but yet there are an alarmingly high number of children, boys in
particular and boys of color, at that, who fail to complete their schooling.
Fact is that the income of a high school dropout is a substantial 41% lower1
than that of a person with a high school diploma. Lack of necessary education
prevents the person from being gainfully employed, forces him to look to other,
less desirable, avenues to make a living and in many cases encourages him towards
involvement in illegal activities.
Is there a Relationship Between Lack of
Education and Predilection for Breaking Law?
Although it may not be right to link the two
directly, there does seem to be some relationship between a lack of education
and a tendency to get involved in illegal activities. Statistics1
show that, across the U.S., one of three black boys and one of six Latino boys
in the age group 10 years is at risk of going to prison sometime during his
lifetime. These statistics need to be viewed in conjunction with schooling
records which show that black students are two and a half times more likely to
be held back a grade at school than their white counterparts. Researches have
described the correlation in these two statistics as ‘striking’.
The Situation has Improved in Recent
Times
The good news is that, in recent times, the
situation has significantly improved, especially across urban districts.
Improvements in school climate, changes to the curriculum, enhancements in
cultural competence, improvement to the modes of instruction employed- these
have been the primary factors behind this positive change. The provision of
additional resources to teachers as well as those students who are considered
high risk for drop- out has also made a huge difference. However, the drop- out
rates remains distressingly high, especially for boys of color.
Is the Education System Aligned to Boys of
Color?
This forces one to ask whether the present day
education system is really aligned to all students, especially boys of color,
given that their drop- out rates are higher? A detailed look at school
curriculum shows that traditional schools do not really equip these students
for the challenges they are likely to face in later life. While it may be
rigorous and exhaustive, the education offered is simply not relevant to the
student.
A study2 carried out in 2009
analyzed several data sources including the U.S. Census Bureau American
Community Surveys, national data on GED awards, Current Population Survey household
data and much more to reveal some interesting facts. Blacks and Hispanics are
the most likely to become high school drop- outs. However, re- enrollment
programs have been immensely successfully in all of the states where they are
run. It has become evident that many high schoolers who dropped out in their
teens are keen on resuming studies. What is important to note is that
successful re- enrollment programs share some common characteristics:
·
They are small programs offering better
student- teacher ratio
·
They encompass after school and summer
activities
·
They are focused on education that is relevant
to success in the real world
·
They enable measurement of achievement spanning
several parameters for students
Change in Curriculum Is Critical
Traditional schools are often criticized for
their misaligned curriculum that fails to offer boys of color the skills that
they need to succeed in further education and in a career as well. For
instance, the American Diploma Project3 found that mastery of
English and Math skills increased the likelihood of the student’s succeeding
with post- graduate qualification as well as getting suitable employment.
Students who are not encouraged to gain these skills stand a greater chance of
ending up with low paid jobs.
By bringing about a high rigor, high relevance
curriculum which is not typically found in traditional schools, educationists
can help boys of color gain better education, succeed in higher studies and
also be employed gainfully. The objective of high rigor, high relevance
education is not just to set the bar high where it matters most with respect to
gaining the ability to survive in the real world. This kind of curriculum also
addresses the gaps in the present education system, provides mentoring and
support to students so that they can achieve the higher degree of proficiency
required in these critical areas.
In effect, it is critical that boys of color
are encouraged to aim at higher standards and supported in their efforts to do
so. This will help curb the drop- out rate far more effectively than dumbing
down the curriculum so that they can catch- up with rest of class. The latter
only serves to create the fallacy that the student is educated while, in
reality, his education has some serious failings which come to fore in real
life.
The Role of the Educator
Evidently, the educator plays an enormous role
in ensuring that boys of color can succeed in achieving a higher standard of
education. These students will need significant support from their educators
who need to don the role of mentors and supporters. In this capacity, they will
need to motivate the student to aim for mastery over the skills and also
provide guidance on how to do so.
One of the suggestions made for bringing about
a positive change in curriculum is to include more men and women of color as
educators. Having experienced similar challenges, these educators will be in a
position to understand the unique problems faced by boys of color.
Academic Performance is not the Only Obstacle
Boys of color learn differently than their
counterparts and understanding this is key to reshaping the educational system
into one that can benefit them without discrimination. To truly understand the
problems these boys face, it is critical to know that lack of academic
excellence is not the only obstacle that boys of color face in achieving
success in traditional schools. That is, a drop- out may result from other
causes, some that are not even directly related to the school or education
system. For example, a student may leave school prematurely because he has to
earn to supplement the family income. For many students, poverty is a serious
issue. The lack of money limits their options quite severely, sets them apart
from more affluent peers and erodes their self confidence.
The problem of discrimination at school is also
a common concern that strains the ability of the student to invest complete
attention on school work. Studies reveal that adults may be unconsciously
biased against boys of color, believing that they cannot succeed. This results
in the student underperforming since he is not expected or actively encouraged
to do better.
The lack of parental involvement is also an
important factor that keeps boys of color from succeeding academically. A study
shows that more than 50%4 of African Americans grow up in households
headed by women. The lack of strong male role models prevents them from
understanding the importance of growing up to step into a leadership role
themselves, which eliminates the necessity of gaining education that will get
them a well paying job.
Another important reason behind the high drop-
out rate is that boys of color are not brought up with the view that education
is critical to success. In many cases, there is resistance from peripheral
family members and also criticism about continuing education instead of
contributing to the family’s income. This constant discouragement often wears
down the student’s interest and keenness for schooling and prompts him to drop-
out early.
____________________________
5 Boys of
Color, Deliver us from Crisis is a series of articles to study and eliminate
those issues concerning boys of color transitioning to adulthood, The Drop-out Crisis Affecting Boys of Color 6Anthony
Hubbard is the Director of YouthBuild Providence, in Providence, RI. Mr. Hubbard can be reached at YouthBuild
Providence, 66 Chaffee Street, Providence, RI 02909 or via Email: ahubbard@provplan.org.
Sources:
4- http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/educational-crisis-facing-young-men-of-color.pdf
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