Committing to Male Teachers of Color

A superintendent in South Carolina had his own ‘exodus moment’ on inequity, then pushed his district to develop a defined pathway for diversifying the teaching ranks

American author and activist James Baldwin said, “The paradox of education is precisely this — that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.”

As educators become conscious of inequities, they begin to examine the way in which they educate a society. Since becoming a superintendent five years ago, I have made it a priority to create an educational experience that is inclusive and affirming for all by dismantling systems of inequity in public education, breaking down barriers and using equitable practices to close the opportunity, knowledge and learning gaps for all students.

Richland School District Two in Columbia, S.C., has a rich diversity of students. The current student body demographics consists of 61 percent of students who identify as Black or African American, 19 percent who identify as white, 12 percent as Hispanic, 3 percent as Asian and 5 percent as other races and ethnicities. The percentage of students of color continues to rise in Richland Two and across the country, underscoring the gravity and urgency to amplify the need to diversify the learning experiences of students.