Black educators make up 7% of the public-school workforce. However, Black men account for just 1.3%, even though they represent more than 6% of the U.S. population, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.<\/p>\n
To help address this gap, the Black Men in Education Convening is set to bring together more than 1,400 educators, advocates and thought leaders to Philadelphia from Thursday through Saturday at the Loews Hotel in Center City.<\/p>\n
Now in its eighth year, the sold-out conference was created by education advocate Sharif El-Mekki of the Center for Black Educator Development to strengthen the Black teacher pipeline and drive change in education.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s theme, \u201cPower to the Pupil,\u201d explores education and the cultural forces that shape it both inside and beyond secondary school, through the eyes of students.<\/p>\n
Headliners include author Leslie Fenwick, Howard University professor Greg Carr, educator and researcher Lisa Delpit, scholar Chris Emdin and Grammy-winning artist Lupe Fiasco.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith more than 70 speakers and 80 breakout sessions, the event highlights ways to empower students and create culturally affirming liberatory schools,\u201d said Orpheus Williams, BMEC\u2019s chief program officer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen teachers empower Black and Brown students, their success inspires others to adopt those strategies,\u201d he added. \u201cBMEC gives Black male educators a space to connect, share experiences and affirm that their approaches are valid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mentorship shapes careers<\/p>\n
The conference will also highlight Black men who are shaping classrooms and leading schools across Philadelphia and beyond.<\/p>\n
William Hayes, CEO of Boys Latin of Philadelphia, has 17 years of experience in education. He credits mentorship as a crucial influence in his career path.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t initially pursue education, but I\u2019ve always had a passion for working with young people,\u201d he said. \u201cA principal in Boston saw potential in me and encouraged me to teach. Students can\u2019t fully imagine what they don\u2019t see. The presence of Black leaders, especially men, inspires them, provides mentorship, and builds community, showing what their future could be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hayes emphasized that attracting and retaining more Black men in education requires changing the narrative around teaching.<\/p>\n
“I believe teaching is one of the greatest professions, but outdated views make it seem exhausting and undesirable,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cTo recruit and retain Black male educators, we must reframe teaching\u2019s value, create welcoming environments and provide opportunities for growth, while ensuring Black boys see education as a path to freedom, justice, and joy.”<\/p>\n
Stephen Fleming, a teacher at Martin Luther King High School, echoed this perspective. With 19 years in public education, he said he\u2019s stayed in teaching because of the connection with students.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve wanted to be a teacher since I was young,\u201d Fleming said. \u201cI don\u2019t always like some of the top-down mandates in education, but I love working with our students at King. That\u2019s what motivates me to stay in teaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy teaching approach has evolved over the years,\u201d he added. \u201cEarly in my career, I was a hardliner who didn\u2019t consider what was happening outside the classroom. I\u2019m still structured, but I\u2019m more conscientious of our students\u2019 struggles now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleming has inspired many former students to pursue teaching careers, several now in Philadelphia\u2019s public and charter schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my former students told me that seeing the example set by me, Dr. Crawford, and Ms. O\u2019Conner inspired her to give back to her community,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m proud to have played a part in her decision to become a teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tamir Harper, now senior director of development at Philadelphia Academies Inc., left the classroom to address systemic challenges in education.<\/p>\n
\u201cI left the classroom because of slow financial growth and limited leadership opportunities for early-career teachers,\u201d Harper said. \u201cI love teaching, but I also want to improve systems for students and early-career teachers often don\u2019t have the capacity to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Harper no longer teaches in the classroom, he uses his experience to guide leadership and program development work.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still part of the education ecosystem,\u201d he said. \u201cMy dissertation focuses on increasing Black male leaders in K\u201318 schools and nonprofits. To make real change, we must address the whole system, not just teachers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite their dedication, Black male educators leave the profession at disproportionately high rates.<\/p>\n
According to a report by Penn State Center for Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis, teacher attrition in Pennsylvania reached 7.7% in 2022\u201323, with Black male teachers leaving at a much higher rate of 18.1%. In Philadelphia, the overall attrition rate exceeded 15%.<\/p>\n
Although overall attrition fell to 6.7% in 2023\u201324, Black teachers continue to leave at higher rates, about 13% annually. Over five years, roughly one in three Black teachers exits the profession.<\/p>\n
Research shows that Black students with at least one Black teacher are 39% less likely to drop out and 29% more likely to enroll in college. Yet, Black men make up just 5.3% of teachers in the School District of Philadelphia, totaling 467 educators.<\/p>\n
Programs to build the pipeline<\/p>\n
To strengthen the pipeline, the district is expanding programs that encourage high school students to pursue teaching, including initiatives at SLA Beeber, Olney, Vaux Big Picture and El Centro.<\/p>\n
The Grow Your Own initiative trains current staff and eventually students to become teachers and leaders. It operates through partnerships with Temple, Drexel, La Salle, HBCU Lincoln University, the Community College of Philadelphia, and College Unbound.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re partnering with the Center for Black Educator Development to expand programs at high schools like SLA Beeber and Olney,\u201d said School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough the Grow Your Own program, we\u2019re increasing the number of candidates of color, with a focus on Black and Latino men. Participants earn a bachelor\u2019s degree, gain teaching certification, and graduate debt-free,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The district is also investing in professional development and targeted support to help Black male educators overcome stereotypes and access equitable resources.<\/p>\n
Key supports include the paraprofessionals program, Teach Right Now for emergency-permit teachers, TeachPHL for new district educators, biweekly Tune-Up Tuesday sessions, and the Teacher Mentor Program for midyear hires.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlack men bring brilliance, leadership, and unique gifts to the classroom,\u201d Watlington said. \u201cThrough professional development and support, we\u2019re making sure they not only have everything they need to succeed, but also the tools and confidence to inspire students, challenge stereotypes and thrive as leaders in education.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through annual programs for college and high school students, Freedom Schools Literacy Academy and national partnerships, BMEC continues to strengthen the pipeline of Black educators.<\/p>\n
College fellows receive guidance and retention incentives, high schoolers explore teaching and leadership and all participants gain hands-on classroom experience with mentor teachers.<\/p>\n
Williams said he hopes attendees leave the conference with practical skills, meaningful connections and a renewed sense of purpose.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis conference isn\u2019t just about learning; it\u2019s about building a community, finding joy and feeling inspired as educators. I hope they take that energy back to their students and recreate it in their own classrooms, schools and cities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n