Resolution 260836

Title Honoring October as Black Male Educators Month in the City of Philadelphia, celebrating the Center for Black Educator Development for their leadership in the recruitment, development, and retention of Black male educators. Body WHEREAS, The Center for Black Educator Development was founded in June 2019 to ensure equity in the recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of quality educators who reflect the cultural background of the students they serve. The organization highlights the important statistics about Black students and the long-term benefits they receive from having Black educators; and WHEREAS, A Johns Hopkins study found that having at least one black teacher in third through fifth grades reduced a black student's probability of dropping out of school by 29 percent. When Black boys have one Black male teacher, they are 18% less likely to be identified as needing special education services; and WHEREAS, Black male educators play a vital role in countering bias and fostering equitable learning, yet they remain deeply underrepresented, comprising fewer than 2% of public-school teachers nationwide and less than 5% in Philadelphia, a City where culturally responsive support is needed, leaving most students to complete their K-12 education without ever being taught by a Black man shouldn’t be a regular outcome; and WHEREAS, The campaign calls on individuals, institutions, and communities to join in amplifying its mission and rebuilding the National Black Teacher Pipeline. The National #WeNeedBlackTeachers campaign has highlighted decades of research showing the transformative impact of Black educators on student outcomes, particularly for Black youth; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes October as Black Male Educators Month and honors the Center for Black Educator Development for their leadership in building and sustaining the Black male educator pipeline. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution will be presented to the Center for Black Educator Development as a sincere expression of the City Council of Philadelphia’s gratitude and admiration. End