As unfortunate as it is that, it is of no surprise that we all know just how terrible the educational system has been for people with color. But many experts and educational professionals are determined to solve the problem.
We can already see a prime example through the Harlem Baseball Hitting Academy – an ideal platform, serving as an objective to help young men of color get ahold of the ideal tools and proper guidance to succeed both on and off from the baseball field.
Ever since the academy was established in 2004, it has quickly grown and expanded its influence among the majority of the Black community and has become a haven for many young Black men who are passionate about sports.
In 2008, more than 20 of the academy graduates were drafted by major league baseball teams and in fact, one of them had even gone to become a World Series Champion.
Seeing the impact of Harlem Baseball Hitting Academy on young Black players, they naturally received more than $14,000,000 in Baseball and Educational Scholarships. Additionally, they have even been a part of many notable selections such as the 5 Gatorade New York State Players of the Year, the American League Championships Series MVP and Gold Glove Award Winner in 2018.
With them serving as an inspiration, we too, must make a stand and improve the educational opportunities being presented to the young POC community. Here are some of things we need to look into to turn the tables on this dilemma.
Addressing Black Student Challenges
What most people do not know is that regardless of Black families having a higher income, their children continue to lag behind those of other student groups.
In a 2018 study by Raj Chetty and his colleagues, it was found that these things tend to lead to different opportunities that persist and intensify during childhood, especially for young Black males. Hence, it debunks the myth that Black families can earn their way out of racism. Naturally, this has given Black students unique challenges in their educational years which is why there needs to be more awareness about it in schools so that these challenges can be addressed and not be reduced to their socioeconomic status.
Making Education Accessible to Black Students
While there is much information provided on the outcome data for any school and many parents use several markers of success like national awards and state ratings to know which school is best for their kid, the same thing is not easy for Black parents.
The statistics are obscured when it comes to where and whether the Black students are thriving or not. Hence, there is a need for outcome data regarding Black students so that we can find their performance ratings in school.
Consequently, a lot of work is needed to rethink the ways our educational system works because that is the only way we can provide Black students with the ideal quality education they deserve.
