Secretary calls African Americans to the blackboard

ATLANTA — U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, renewed his call for more African American men to pick up the chalk and teach, the U.S. Department of Education reports.

Joined by filmmaker Spike Lee, Duncan issued the invitation during a town hall meeting and panel discussion hosted by Morehouse College. 

The event was part of the Department of Education’s Teach Campaign, designed to raise awareness of the teaching profession and get a new generation of teachers to join the ones who are already making a difference in the classroom.

One Morehouse student spoke about the importance of African American students seeing caring, responsible and honest African American men in positions of authority, because it helps them to recognise what is possible. The student argued that right now not enough of these positive images are visible to today’s youth.

During the campaign, Duncan stressed that the need for African American male teachers is the greatest in elementary and middle schools. Panelists echoed this sentiment, many recalling that they did not encounter an African American  male teacher until late in high school or college.