After being shot on a high school football field in Philadelphia, @selmekki began considering teaching. He founded @BMECFellowship, which works to get more black males as teachers in the classroom. #AtlanticEDU pic.twitter.com/ZOgrcfSTbc
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
I wanted to do something other than being a lawyer focused on social justice issues, says @selmekki of @BMECFellowship
describing how he began teaching. I wanted to work with youth who have anger, access to guns and didn’t finish high school #AtlanticEDU— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
Be the teacher you wish you had, advises @selmekki of @BMECFellowship⁰ when asked why are there so few black men in the classroom at #AtlanticEDU
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
There have been two different messages, says @selmekki of @BMECFellowship discussing the narratives behind the teaching profession. ⁰Black men were given a basketball whereas white women were told that they could be trusted to teach the youth #AtlanticEDU
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
Why don’t we tell black boys early on that you should teach? We should them “we trust you with our future.” @selmekki #AtlanticEDU
— Eboni-Rose Thompson (@Eboni_RoseT) May 1, 2018
.@selmekki shares a message with the teachers of @BMECFellowship: "Be the teacher you wish you had." #AtlanticEDU pic.twitter.com/h9To8T6D9Q
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
How many times am I going to have to fight at this school in the summer, recalls @selmekki at age 15 during summer school. That's what we knew of that institution and when I returned as an educator I wanted to change that #AtlanticEDU
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
“White students get mirrors in the classroom; students of color get windows.” @selmekki on the need for a diverse and representational corps of teachers #AtlanticEDU
— EL Magazine (@ELmagazine) May 1, 2018
"Windows and mirrors" what students see in and around the classrooms depending on cultural background. Power of representation @selmekki #AtlanticEDU
— Zabrina Epps (@ZabrinaEpps) May 1, 2018
.@emmanuelfelton asks @selmekki why there are so few black men going into teaching. @selmekki says many have had bad experiences in the classroom, many not encouraged to go into teaching when they were young. #AtlanticEDU
— Delece Smith-Barrow (@DeleceWrites) May 1, 2018
.@BMECFellowship doesn't limit itself to young black males who are interested in teaching, explains @selmekki. "We say join our group if you're interested in social justice." #AtlanticEDU pic.twitter.com/nsiHPkXNRc
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
Calling it out and setting obtainable goals, says @selmekki of @BMECFellowship⁰ when asked what is his state and district doing to diversify the classroom at #AtlanticEDU
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
Black boys, particularly those in poverty, are 40% less likely to drop out if they have a single black teacher, explains @selmekki of @BMECFellowship at #AtlanticEDU pic.twitter.com/52XF36s0XP
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
Get your education so you leave, says @selmekki of @BMECFellowship⁰ describing the messaging that youth are being told early on. Don’t encourage them to leave because you are pushing them from the people that love and care for you #AtlanticEDU
— AtlanticLIVE (@AtlanticLIVE) May 1, 2018
[…] On May 1, 2018, he was invited to speak at The Atlantic’s Education Summit in Washington D.C. Click here to watch the video of Sharif’s conversation with The Atlantic about the significance of black male educators for student […]