Supporting Black and Latino boys in school: A call to action

Abstract

The educational experiences of Black and Latino males in K-12 are often riddled with unnecessary challenges and stresses that contribute to diminished academic outcomes. Adrian H. Huerta, Tyrone C. Howard, and Bianca N. Haro seek to highlight instead the importance of positive asset-based research and practice efforts focused on supporting Black and Latino male high school students. Based on a yearlong study of more than 200 Black and Latino male youth in six urban high schools in California, they provide recommendations for more effectively studying and supporting this population. The combination of asset-based research and practice drawn from that research is intended to better support, engage, and enhance the educational experiences of Black and Latino male students in K-12 institutions and beyond.

Transforming schools and improving outcomes for boys of color

“…Research has long shown how schools and classrooms can alienate boys of color, limiting their opportunities to thrive academically (Fergus, Noguera, & Martin, 2020;Howard, 2014;Huerta, Howard, & Haro, 2020). Teacher perceptions of student behavior play a prominent role in these…”

In Between the Lines: Black and Brown Adolescents Creating a Homeplace Across School Settings

“…This homeplace is facilitated by the coaches in the context of this study, and therefore we need to better understand the roles of coaches and other adults in learning settings (school maintenance staff, security guards, office staff) as they support students holistically in and out of school. Huerta et al (2020) noted the qualities of the most impactful teachers "who make a real effort to get to know them as individuals, learn about their out-of-school lives, and build the kinds of positive relationships" (p.31). Coaches carry these qualities regularly and especially shown in the case of this study.…”

Redistributing Resources for Men of Color in Higher Education

“…Each micro-decision by universities leads to missteps in serving men of color and in this moment in society where individuals need college credentials for social and economic mobility, we cannot afford to continue to fail men of color. Efforts to uplift men of color cannot continue to be the sole responsibility of one or a handful of dedicated professional staff and faculty members of color, but often that is the case, and as shared by Huerta, Howard, and Haro (2020), "…we must focus on [men of color] successes and gifts while encouraging them to strive to become the best versions of themselves they can be" and this will require institutional financial investment and moral obligation.…”