Latino, Black, Asian and Native American teachers account for 17% of all U.S. public school teachers. Approximately 2% are Black men. The overwhelming lack of engagement for Black men continues to foster barriers that exclude Black male educators (Bristol, 2022).
On December 1st Kingmakers of Oakland (KOO) held a Black Teacher Recruitment Event with district partner San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD); led by K.O. Wilson, KOO Director of Teacher Recruitment. Held as a virtual event to educate future teachers about the requirements to become an educator with SFUSD. They also heard directly from current Black educators in SFUSD to learn about: the unique paths that led them to become classroom teachers, the power and importance of representation in the classroom, and what aspiring teachers should know.
We know that one key way to improve the life outcomes for Black students is for students to have at least one Black male teacher. However, the dearth of Black male teachers in learning environments reflects both systemic and structural barriers that have been exacerbated by the toll the pandemic has taken both on educators as well as the African-American community. That’s why it’s critical to improve the Black teacher pipeline.
KOO teacher recruitment efforts includes developing a KOO Facilitator pipeline that meets aspiring teachers where they’re at – with training options to formally pursue a career as a public school educator.
SFUSD is actively recruiting for a number of open positions which can be found in the links below. We encourage you to share these opportunities within your networks as KOO continues to bridge the gap in Black teacher recruitment, training, retention and certification. If you’re interested in becoming a KOO Facilitator contact ko@kingmakersofoakland.org.
SFUSD Open Roles:
Principal – 2023-2024 School Year
Assistant Principal – 2023-2024 School Year
Special Education: Mild/Moderate Teacher 2023-2024 School Year