Teacher Assisting a Group of Elementary School Children in Computer Class: Adobe
Jul 3, 2024 Story by: Editor
Maya Richard-Craven
Contributor
I write about Black and neurodivergent identity in the workplace.
Throughout my formative years, I spent a considerable amount of time with my teachers. However, I often felt unseen and unsafe at school, largely due to the lack of Black teachers. I distinctly remember feeling comfortable discussing a racist comment I heard on the playground with my kindergarten teacher, who was also Black. Unlike my other teachers, she took a stand and reprimanded students who made racially charged remarks, even at such a young age. I firmly believe that every Black student should have a Black teacher at some point in their education. It is crucial for Black students to have Black role models both inside and outside the classroom.
Unfortunately, many Black students never have a Black teacher. From pre-K to 8th grade, I had only two Black teachers and none in high school. This absence deeply impacted me, making school feel isolating and frustrating. In high school, I longed for someone who understood my culture beyond the other four Black girls in my class. Since graduating over a decade ago, it appears that even more Black teachers are leaving the education sector. To understand this issue better, I spoke with several Black women in education about the shortage of Black teachers and its significance.
Black Teachers Experience Burnout
In 2022, the turnover rate for Black teachers was 22%. The 2024 State of the American Teacher Survey revealed that Black teachers are more likely to plan on leaving their jobs at the end of the year compared to their white counterparts. One might wonder about the reasons behind this mass exodus of Black teachers. Dori Larsuel, a Black kindergarten teacher in California with thirty-eight years of experience in various public school systems, shared her insights on why Black teachers are experiencing burnout.
“Black teachers have left the profession because they feel undervalued and disrespected in the workplace. There is a feeling of isolation in the workplace when you are the only one at your school site. The emotional burden of dealing with microaggressions is another reason Black teachers leave the profession,” Larsuel explained.
She also highlighted that low salaries deter young Black people from entering the teaching profession. “Young Black students do not consider going into teaching because of the cost of college and the low salaries teachers make across the U.S. I think if their educational experience was negative on any level, they do not consider teaching,” she added. Source: Forbes
