E’ry day this month, Philly’s 7th Ward, in partnership with the Center for Black Educator Development, will highlight a “Black Educator Hall of Famer.“ But, don’t forget, e’ry month is Black History Month. February is just the Blackest. Every day is an ongoing opportunity to learn and teach the colossal impact Black educators have had on society.
Baruti Kafele
Baruti Kafele is a master educator with roughly forty years of experience as a teacher, administrator, and transformative school leader. Additionally, he is an educational consultant, speaker, trainer, and author, supporting educators. He earned his B.S. degree in Management Science/Marketing from Kean University and his M.A. degree in Educational Administration from New Jersey City University.
As an elementary school teacher in East Orange, NJ, he was selected as the East Orange School District and the Essex County Public Schools Teacher of the Year, and was a New Jersey State Teacher of the Year finalist. As a middle and high school principal, Principal Kafele emerged as a turnaround school leader, leading Newark Tech from a low-performing school in need of improvement to national recognition, including from U.S. News & World Report, which recognized it three times as one of America’s best high schools.
As a result of his work, Principal Kafele is one of the most sought-after principal and assistant principal leadership presenters in America, with a particular focus on closing “Attitude Gaps” in America’s classrooms. He has delivered over 3000 conference and program keynotes, professional development workshops, parenting seminars, and student assemblies for over 35 years of public speaking.
Additionally, Principal Kafele is a prolific writer and author. He’s written several articles for educator journals and outlets. He is also the author of fourteen books, including his seven ASCD best sellers – Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School & in Life, Closing the Attitude Gap, Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead It?, The Teacher 50, The Principal 50, The Assistant Principal 50, and The Equity & Social Justice Education 50. What is My Value INSTRUCTIONALLY to the Teachers I Supervise?
Principal Kafele is the recipient of over 150 educational, professional, and community awards, which include the prestigious Milken Educator Award, the National Alliance of Black School Educators Hall of Fame Award, the East Orange, New Jersey Hall of Fame Award, the New Jersey Education Association Award of Excellence and recognition as one of the World’s Top 30 Education Professionals by Global Gurus Top 30 for six consecutive years (2020 – 2025).
Principal Kafele’s message forces his audience to look deeply within themselves to assess their own practices to a level of “being uncomfortable with being comfortable and being comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Happy Black History Month and make sure you know about Baruti Kafele, a member of the Black Educator Hall of Fame.
