Transcript Resiliency: Guaranteeing the Success of African

Resiliency: Guaranteeing the Success of AfricanAmerican & Hispanic Males in Academic
Environment
Bernard Oliver, Director/Professor
Diana Melendez, Program Coordinator
Diane Archer-Banks, Program Coordinator
Sophie Maxis, Graduate Assistant
Jacqueline Basallo, Graduate Assistant
University of Florida Alliance
343B Norman Hall
College of Education
Gainesville, FL 32611
[email protected]
(352) 392-0728 ext. 315
(352) 392-0017 Fax
A paper prepared for the annual Black & Brown College Bound Conference, Tampa, FL
(Nov./Dec. 2007)
ABSTRACT
Nowhere in the USA is the “sense of urgency” more profound than in the
educational, social and economic plight of African American and Hispanic
male. Our purpose today is to explore the implementation and utility of
resiliency models as a tool to improve the human condition of young black
and brown males. Particular attention will be devoted to using the
resiliency model in educational settings for endangered species – Black and
Brown young men.
Agenda
Introduction
I. The problem
Why African Americans Suffer
Problem-Cause Connections
Problems of African-American Males
Problem Cause Solution Paradigm
Black Women vs. Other Racial Groups
Agenda
II. Context of Schooling
African-American Male High School Students
Rigorous High School Curriculum
High School Performance, Graduation, etc.
Graduation Rates of the Largest Districts
College Readiness Rate
Discipline, Special Education & Jail
Black Male Achievement
III. Success
Dimension of Success
Kunjufu’s Holistic Approach
Agenda
IV. Resiliency
What is Resiliency?
The Resiliency Wheel
Basic Building Blocks
Key Internal and Environmental Protective Factors
Resilient Student
Non-Resilient Student
Keys to Resiliency Living
Agenda
V. Resiliency in Higher Education
Enhancing Academic Climate
Critical Factors in Student Development
DEEP Study Recommendation
VI. Conclusion
Why African-Americans Suffer

Lack of Unity

Poor money management

Lack of education

Lack of discipline

Welfare

Teen pregnancy

Drugs

Lack of morals
(Dumas, )

Jinx of slavery

Crisis between African-American men and women

Lack of spiritual vision

Confusion about the purpose of African-Americans

Fraternities and sororities

Lack of investigative African-American media

Lack of business resources
(Dumas, )

Insurance

Interracial marriage

Ignorance about African-American contribution to science
and technology

Lack of support from African-American athletes

Desire for instant wealth

Homosexuality
(Dumas, )
General Problem & Cause
Connection
PROBLEM

By 2020 70% of all Black males will be unavailable to Black
women

85 percent of African-American children in special education are
male

1.5 million African-American males in prison
(Kunjufu, 2005)

47% of penal population is African –American

Only 3.5 % of college students are African-American

37% of school suspensions are African-American

31% of African-American males between the ages of 15 –
25 are unemployed
(Kunjufu, 2005)
CAUSES

White supremacy/institutional racism

Capitol intensive economy

Drugs

Male socialization process

Double child rearing standards among parents
(Kunjufu, 2005)

Parental apathy

Low teacher expectations

Lack of understanding of learning styles

Negative peer pressure and gangs

Lack of positive male role models

Identity 7 “self”
(Kunjufu, 2005)
Problems of African-American
Males

One of three African-American males is involved in penal
institution

By 2020 two of three African-American males will be involved

20% of African-American adults and 50% of African-American
children live below the poverty line

12% of African-American adults are unemployed vs. 6% of
whites
(Kunjufu, 2004)

37% of African-American youth unemployed vs. 15% of
white youth

40% of Black males unemployed

America has lost 3 million middle class jobs – greatest
impact on blacks

Black median income is $32,000 vs. $45,000 for white

Black per capita wealth is $10,000 vs. $55,000 for white
(Kunjufu, 2004)

Black median SAT scores is 200-300 pts below whites

African-Americans constitute 12% of the population, but
African-American males account for 43% of HIV while
African-American females account for 64%

In 14 of 16 health categories (diabetes, hypertension,
cancer, etc) African-Americans outnumber whites

Divorce rate for Black America is 66%
(Kunjufu, 2004)

Only 32% of African-American children have fathers at home

In L.A. African-Americans constitute 11% of population and 47%
of murder victims

In Washington D.C. 1 of every 12 African-American males die of
homicide

36 million youth are disconnected in America (60% are black &
Hispanic) and have left high school, lack credentials and are
unemployed
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Problem, Cause, Solution
Paradigm
Problem
Education
Cause(s)
Low income; single parenting;
lack of parental education;
inadequate school funding; low
teacher expectations; time on
task; irrelevant Eurocentric
curriculum; left brained lesson
plans; negative peer pressure;
tracking
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Problem
Prison
(12% of black population)
(50% of prison inmates are
black)
Cause(s)
Mandatory minimum
sentences; fatherlessness; racial
profiling; inadequate legal
defense; little or no
rehabilitation
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Problem
Poverty
Unemployment
Income disparity
Cause(s)
Racism; miseducation;
feminization of poverty and
fatherlessness; teen pregnancy;
lack of values; lack of
transportation to suburbs; lack
of skills; lack of
entrepreneurship
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Problem
Health
HIV (43% of cases are black
males, 64% black females)
Cause(s)
Obesity; soul food; lack of
sexual protection; duty needles;
inmates unprotected
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Problem
Family
(66% divorce rate; 68%
fatherlessness; 10% teen
pregnancy)
Cause(s)
Lack of pre-marital and marital
counseling; selfishness; lack of
goals/poor self esteem
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Black Women & Other Racial
Groups

Least likely to marry

Least likely to marry long-term cohabitating partner

Most likely to have marriages end in divorce or separation

Least likely to remarry

Most likely to see their 2nd marriage end
(Center for Disease Control,
)
African-American Male High
School Students

1 in 200,000 will play in the NBA

1 in 2,700 will earn a Ph.D.

1 in 766 will become a lawyer

1 in 395 will become a doctor

1 in 192 will become a teacher

1 in 20 will be incarcerated

1 in 12 will have and STD

1 in 9 will use cocaine

1 in 3 will drop out
(Kunjufu, 2004)
Rigorous High School Curriculum
Asian
White
Hispanic
Black
Rigorous
Curriculum
22%
11%
8%
6%
Advanced Math
62%
46%
28%
29%
Advanced
Science/Physics
62%
59.5%
47%
40.5%
(NAEP, 2005)
High School Performance,
Graduation etc.

17%of Black students, 13.2% of Hispanic students and
9.3% of White students in grades K-12 were retained at
least 1 grade

13% of Blacks 16-24 have not earned a high school
diploma (Whites-7%)

30% of Black student have taken advanced mathematics vs.
45% of Whites

12% of Black students take Chemistry & Physics; 27% take
advanced English

Black students take AD at the rate of 53 per 1,000,
Hispanics 115 per 1,000 and Whites 185 per 1,000

Average SAT for Black students is 433v/426m; for Whites it
is 529v/531m (22% higher)

Average ACT for Blacks is 16.9 for Whites it is 21.8 (30%
higher)
Graduation Rates of Largest
Districts
District
Black
White
GAP
New York
26%
50%
24%
Chicago
35%
57%
22%
Detroit
31%
29%
-2%
Dade County
31%
54%
23%
Prince George County
61%
57%
-4%
(Rising Sun, 2005)
District
Black
White
GAP
Broward
36%
55%
19%
Los Angeles
45%
63%
18%
Baltimore
31%
38%
7%
DeKalb
49%
63%
14%
Orleans Parish
52%
58%
6%
52%
58%
6%
Nationally
(Rising Sun, 2005)
College Readiness Rate (Males)
Hispanic
Black
White
GAP
New York
11%
21%
43%
22%
Illinois
12%
14%
36%
22%
Michigan
11%
15%
33%
18%
Florida
24 %
21%
40%
19%
(Rising Sun, 2005)
Hispanic
Black
White
GAP
Maryland
21%
34%
43%
9%
California
22%
22%
39%
17%
--
21%
38%
17%
35%
24%
41%
17%
Georgia
Louisiana
(Rising Sun, 2005)
Discipline, Special Education and
Jail

Black students while representing 17% of public school
students account for 32% of suspensions and 30% of the
expulsions

In 1999 35% of all Black students in grades 7-12 had been
suspended/expelled and 20% of Hispanics were in the same
boat

Black children are labeled mentally retarded nearly 300%
more than White students and only 8% of Black males are
labeled gifted
(Rising Sun, 2005)

Black male born in 1991 has a 29% chance of spending
time in prison at some point in his life… for Hispanics it is
16%, for Whites it is 4%

Black male is 700% more likely than his White counterpart
to be sentenced to local, state or federal prison

Black mails are imprisoned at a rate of 3,405 per 100,000
(3.4%), Hispanics 1,231 per 100,000 (1.2%) and Whites
465p per 100,000 (.46%)
(Rising Sun, 2005)
Black Male Achievement








Every 5 seconds during the day a Black public school student is
suspended
Every 46 seconds of the school day a Black high school student
drops out
Every 60 seconds a Black child is arrested and a Black baby is born
to an unmarried woman
Every 3 minutes a Black child is born into poverty
Every hour a Black baby dies
Every 4 hours a Black child under the age of 20 dies from and
accident
Every 5 hours a Black youth is a homicide victim
Everyday a Black young person under the age of 25 dies from HIV
and a Black youth under 20 commits suicide
(Rising Sun, 2005)
Dimensions of Success

Positive self-confidence (strength of character)

Realistic self appraisal

Understand/deal with racism

Preference for long term vs. short term goals

Availability of strong support person

Successful leadership experiences

Acquiring knowledge in a “field”
(Locke, 1999)
Kunjufu’s Holistic Approach

Spirituality

African and African-American history

Racism (insecurity vs. inferiority)

Time management

Talent identification and development

Diet and nutrition

Economics

Peer group & organizations
(Kunjufu, 2005)
The Resiliency Wheel
Key Internal and Environmental
Protective Factors