A Call To Action: Next Steps To
Further Progress
November 13, 2010
Dr. Henry Pruitt
Defining the Crisis of Black Males in
America 2010
• Less than half of the Black males in America
graduate from high school.
• College enrollment is declining.
• The prison rate is expanding.
• Unemployment of Black males is double the
rate of unemployment of White males.
• Mainstream America looks upon Black males
as second class citizens.
Educational Challenges for
Black Male Students
•
•
•
•
Lack of effort and motivation
Negative peer pressure
Proliferation of street gangs
Few incentives to study. Most schools
reward high achievement alone
• Black males have the intellectual capacity to
learn at high levels. Many schools do not
spend enough time teaching students how to
learn
The Motivation Confidence
Effort Development Cycle
SMART IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE
SMART IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN GET.
Jeff Howard, Efficacy Institute
Building
Confidence
Positive
Teacher
Attitude
Towards
Students
If You Think
You Can, You
Will
Effective
Effort
High
Expectations
Work Hard
Development
Confidence
Get Smart
Action Oriented Recommendations
For Progress In New Jersey
• Reach out to community and business
interests to help enhance Black male
motivation and achievement.
• Train teachers to remain effective when the
demographics of their classes change from
White to Black.
• Set up opportunities for staff members to
hear from students on a regular basis relative
to school climate and academic concerns.
Policy Implications
• Raise the GPA in order for students to
participate in interscholastic sports. (FB 2.67,
BB 2.71)
• Provide recognition incentives and awards
for academic achievement as substantive as
awards for athletic accomplishments.
• Talk candidly about the problems
surrounding the education of Black male
students.
• Require the teaching of study skills and other
techniques to improve learning.
Recommendations For
Further Research
• Find out how Newark made significant
progress towards closing the Black White
achievement gap during the past six years
• Look for other schools in New Jersey that have
large Black male populations that have
narrowed the achievement gap.
• Contact the National Alliance of Black School
Educators for information about largely Black
schools which have been successful on a
national level. (www.nabse.org)