Educators’ and non-educators’ perceptions of black males: A survey

Utilizing cool posing narrative and technique as leadership strategies among underrepresented individuals

“…Since then, Black males with no possessions to protect have made their minds psychological property, defended by unassailable cool and authenticity (Majors, 1987(Majors, /2003a. In this way, they freed their minds from the colonial complex to rediscover their distinctive virtues of valor, morality, merit, and potency (Toure, as cited in Asante & Asante, 1990;Cose, 2002;Foster, 1995). Black males share unique experiences that challenge conventional standards of organization legitimacy and expose performance-based aspects of leadership, heretofore unseen, in order to move some further along the way to equality, economic and otherwise (Clegg et al, 2001;Kiyosaki, 2000;Willie, 2003).…”

“…Disproportionate involvement in remediation classes of Blacks and other ethnic groups-males in particular-comes about when educators use ethnocentric stereotypical beliefs about their street-corner language and behavior (Banks, 2000;Bell, 2002;Berk, 1997). Cool behaviors cause the frequency of expulsions and suspensions of Black, Spanish-surnamed, Asian American, Native American, and various ethnic students to be nearly twice that of White students (Foster, 1995;Majors, 1987Majors, /2003a). The first step to ethnic groups being disproportionately involved in special education, suspension, and discipline problems can be averted with better-informed teachers and school leaders.…”

Disciplinary Practices and Perceptions of School Safety

“…Specifically, there is support for the hypothesis that suspensions and expulsions have a greater impact on African-American students' achievement than Euro-Americans (Davis and Jordan, 1994). The higher rates of suspensions and expulsions experienced by African-Americans are associated with increased school failure (Davis and Jordan, 1994;Foster, 1995;Fremon and Hamilton, April, 1997). Those higher rates of punishment appear to correspond to teachers' prejudice beliefs and negative expectations (Davis and Jordan, 1994;Foster, 1995;Fremon and Hamilton, April, 1997).…”

“…The higher rates of suspensions and expulsions experienced by African-Americans are associated with increased school failure (Davis and Jordan, 1994;Foster, 1995;Fremon and Hamilton, April, 1997). Those higher rates of punishment appear to correspond to teachers' prejudice beliefs and negative expectations (Davis and Jordan, 1994;Foster, 1995;Fremon and Hamilton, April, 1997). For example, Foster (1995) found in a survey of both educators and non-educators that the majority in both groups held stereotypical attitudes and prejudices toward African-American males in the categories of athletics, crime, education, music, attitude, family, and personality.…”

“…For example, Foster (1995) found in a survey of both educators and non-educators that the majority in both groups held stereotypical attitudes and prejudices toward African-American males in the categories of athletics, crime, education, music, attitude, family, and personality. Foster (1995) urged teachers to examine the role that negative African-American stereotypes may play in the disproportionate numbers of suspensions and expulsions experienced by male students of color.…”