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America: How We Can Get More Black Men into College

By Features Desk

Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

The number of people completing college courses in the US has risen dramatically in recent years. The problems seems to be that not everyone is taking advantage of these learning opportunities, young black men are the lowest in numbers of all. Young black women are taking up courses online and offline, looking to improve their education and qualifications.

What can be done to change this situation? How can more young black men be encouraged to get further education?

Admit The Problem

The first thing that needs to be done is to admit there is a problem, or there is nothing to solve.

The idea that everyone had equal opportunities is flawed, as the young men arrive in classrooms as young boys with discrimination hanging over their heads. As youngsters, educators write them off too quickly, and that mentality needs changing if the future of these young men is to be changed.

The Next Stage

Once it has been agreed there is a problem, the next stage is deciding what can be done about it. Pointing out the advantages of a college education is something that should be made obvious to children of all ethnic groups, not just young black men. School counselors can help with this by suggesting clubs, volunteer groups, and jobs that align to college goals and encourage them to go to college to achieve their career aims.

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Help From Mentors

It is not done on purpose by any means, but the majority of teachers in the US are white women, and sometimes, young black men have problems relating to them.  Having more teachers that are black men would help, but until that situation resolves itself, finding mentors to help these youngsters could be the answer.

Black men who are community leaders could be a huge help here as they are able to show what they have achieved through hard work, and possibly a college education. Mentors could deal with a group or on a one to one basis, whatever is best for the children involved.

Help with the Cost

The cost of education can be prohibitive for many African-American families, who are more likely to be poor than their white peers. This is certainly something that needs to be addressed by the government, but in the meantime, it might not be such a bad idea to make use of more affordable online courses like this RN to BSN or this online accounting course, which is far more affordable than attending a traditional college. It also enables students to work more flexibly as they learn, which will help with the lack of funds.

Create a Better Environment

It is a sad but true fact that young black people, especially boys, are more likely to end up in trouble at school, and this is not necessarily because they are any worse than other kids, but because of prejudice and other factors like environment. Often they are suspended or expelled from school and perhaps what needs to be done is looking closer at the punishments given when they misbehave, but also at why they have done something wrong. Often it is retaliation against another child who has belittled them or made them look foolish. Children can be the cruelest of all humans.

Creating a better environment, so that all the youngsters can flourish, each one with the same chance no matter what their background or color, is what we should be striving for, but unless there is a major change in attitudes, that is not going to happen.

What’s your take on the issue?

America: How We Can Get More Black Men into College

