TJMS: High School Graduation Rate for Black Males Is Only 47 Percent, How Can We Reverse The Trend?
Last week the Schott Foundation released a report stating that the American educational system is systematically failing black male students. According to the Schott report, 47 percent of African-American males graduate from high school. (New York City 28 percent, Philadelphia 28 percent, Broward County Florida 39 percent, Washington D.C., Chicago 44 percent, Nashville 47 percent).
Roland Martin talks with John H. Jackson, President and CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education about the low high school graduation rates for African-American males and what can be done to reverse the trend.
John H. Jackson expressed that he was shocked when saw these numbers and stated “we are going in the wrong direction with these numbers.” As a result of African-American males not graduating, in New York City, over 50 percent of Black males are unemployed and in Chicago, 5000 Black males are lost each year. “They are not in school, they are not employed and no one can say that that doesn’t impact the crime that is happening across the city.”
Jackson referred to the low graduation rates among African-American males as a “system failure.” He told Roland, where the system is working, states and cities have insured that Black males have access to early childhood education, highly effective teachers, a college bound curriculum and equitable instructional resources. Jackson said, “This has to be dealt with at the systems level.”
Roland stated that it is also a community issue, there have to be people at home driving the issue and Black men at home handling their business.
To view the Schott report and to get more information visit http://blackboysreport.org/
Listen to the entire interview with John H. Jackson, President and CEO of the Schott Foundation.
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