200815995_psq_54-8_AfricanAmericanMalesAnEndangeredSpeciesInThe21stCentury

8/6/2019 200815995_psq_54-8_AfricanAmericanMalesAnEndangeredSpeciesInThe21stCentury

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African American Males: An Endangered

Species in the 21st Century?

A review of

The Trouble With Black Boys: And Other Reflections on Race,

Equity, and the Future of Public Education

by Pedro A. Noguera

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008. 324 pp. ISBN 978-0-7879-8874-6.

$24.95

Reviewed by

Carlton W. Parks Jr.

The Trouble With Black Boys: And Other Reflections on Race, Equity, and the Future of

Public Educationprovides the reader with the current status of African American boys as

they attempt to achieve their full academic potential within the U.S. public school system.

Gibbs (1988) proclaimed, in a classic volume, that African American males, as a group,

were an endangered species as a result of the institutionalized racism that persists in our

society. Noguera, in this volume, argues that unfortunately we haven't made substantial

progress along these lines since 1988. He incorporates into this discussion the plight of

Latino males and their families, who are coping with acculturative stressors.
http://supp.apa.org/psyccritiques/bios/rev214http://supp.apa.org/psyccritiques/bios/rev214http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078798874X?ie=UTF8&tag=americanpsy0c-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=078798874Xhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/078798874X?ie=UTF8&tag=americanpsy0c-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=078798874X


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Noguera has divided his volume into the following three parts: (a) experiences of

male students of color in urban schools and the negative impact of these experiences on their

subsequent academic potential, (b) the continual search for equity and excellence among

male students of color within the public school establishment, and (c) how public schools

need to transform, on the basis of a best practices model, if we are ever to have equity and

excellence for male students of color within the public education establishment. The theme

that runs throughout this volume is that allmarginalized and stigmatized male students of

color, independent of the barriers and hurdles, will thrive in learning environments that

provide them with sufficient resources and nurturance (e.g., Foster, 1997).

There exists a longstanding literature that focuses on the plight of African American

males here in the United States written by scholars of color that has remained almost

invisible within the mainstream behavioral sciences/education literature (Carbado, 1999;

Davis, 1999; Gibbs, 1988; Hilliard, 1998; King, 2005; Kunjufu, 2001, 2002; Merrick, 2001;

Connor & White, 2006; Oliver, 1994; Poulson-Bryant, 2005; Staples, 1982; Thomas-El &

Murphey, 2003; Watts & Jagers, 1997; West, 2001; White & Cones, 1999; Wilson, 1991).These scholars have consistently associated the status of African American males within our

society, independent of socioeconomic status, with our failing public school system (e.g.,

Foluke, 2001; Hale, 1986; Harry & Klingner, 2006; King, 2005; Kunjufu, 2001, 2002;

Thomas-El & Murphey, 2003). Noguera provides for the reader a road map to where we are

right now and where we need to go and includes the plight of Latino urban youth into this

landscape.

By exposing readers to his varied array of experiences within public school districts,

Noguera helps us become well acquainted with the challenges facing us. These challenges/

barriers include crime, unemployment or underemployment, bureaucratic obstacles,

curricula changes that necessitate the incorporation of effective approaches of instruction for

English-language learners, state and federal funding, teacher training, and the pressing need

for reforms and supports. These challenges include, most importantly, a shift in the

expectancies and expectations of teachers, parents, school administrators, and support

personnel concerning the academic performance and achievement potential of male students

of color. These challenges/barriers will force all of us to confront our biases, stereotypes,

beliefs, and attitudes involving the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic

status, language, immigration status, and acculturative stressors. The question becomes how

these intersections directly affect the expression of dysfunctional behavior by school

personnel within the context of schools (e.g., Sue et al., 2007; Tucker & Herman, 2002;Valdes, 1996).

Noguera provides readers with a window, based on a best practices model, of

strategies that have the potential of reconceptualizing our notions of how to deliver

culturally sensitive public education services in the 21st century. There is an emerging

literature that focuses on how educators can become effective catalysts for change within

urban school districts. This literature focuses on how educators can reconceptualize their


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roles as leaders and problem solvers within a school context (e.g., Frattura & Capper, 2007;

Krovetz & Arriaza, 2006; Murrell, 2002; Simmons, 2006). Similarly, other scholars of color

have focused their attention on how to intervene, utilizing the African American extended

family, to bring African American males and their families to the table as collaborators with

teachers and other school personnel to provide culturally responsive classrooms (e.g., Boyd-

Franklin & Bry, 2000; Coles, Coles, Coles, & Coles, 1997; Shade, Kelly, & Oberg, 1997;

Watts & Jagers, 1997).

One theme that seems to run through these scholarly volumes and Noguera's

experiences in the schools is the notion of the adoption of African-centered consciousness-

raising intervention/prevention programs among African American male youth. When such a

model incorporates the African American extended family and the broader school/

community, independent of their socioeconomic status, it typically results in elevations in

self-esteem and self-concept among African American males that are critical to subsequent

changes in academic achievement.

I highly recommend this volume to the lay public, parents, legislators, teachers, andprofessionals-in-training in the following areas: sociology, ethnic studies, men's studies,

human development and family studies, educational psychology, cultural anthropology,

marital and family therapy, school counseling, school social work, and school nursing. This

volume should stimulate lively discussions, thought, and reflection among anyone passionate

over the current state of our public school system. Any individual who is interested in being

a part of the solution instead of maintaining the status quo when it comes to our public

school system will benefit from reading this timely and thought-provoking volume.

References

Boyd-Franklin, N., & Bry, B. H. (2000).Reaching out in family therapy: Home-based,

school, and community interventions. New York: Guilford Press.

Carbado, D. W. (Ed.). (1999).Black men on rage, gender, and sexuality. New York: New

York University Press.

Coles, R., Coles, R. E., Coles, D. A., & Coles, M. H. (1997). The youngest parents: Teenage

pregnancy as it shapes lives. New York: Norton.

Connor, M. E., & White, J. L. (Eds.). (2006).Black fathers: An invisible presence in

America. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Davis, L. E. (Ed.). (1999). Working with African American males: A guide to practice.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
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Foluke, G. A. (2001). The crisis and challenge of Black mis-education in America:

Confronting the destruction of African people through Euro-centric public schools.

Charlotte, NC: Kushite Institute of Wholistic Development.

Foster, M. (1997).Black teachers on teaching. New York: New Press.

Frattura, E. M., & Capper, C. A. (2007).Leading for social justice: Transforming schools

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Gibbs, J. T. (Ed.). (1988). Young, Black, and male in America: An endangered species.

Westport, CT: Auburn House.

Hale, J. E. (1986).Black children: Their roots, culture, and learning styles (Rev. ed.).

Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Harry, B., & Klingner, J. (2006). Why are so many minority students in special education?

Understanding race and disability in schools. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hilliard, A. G., III, (1998).Reawakening of the African mind. Gainesville, FL: Makare

Publishing.

King, J. E. (Ed.). (2005).Black education: A transformative research and action agenda for

the new century. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Krovetz, M. L., & Arriaza, G. (2006). Collaborative teacher leadership: How teachers can

foster equitable schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Kunjufu, J. (2001). State of emergency: We must save African American males. Chicago:

African American Images.

Kunjufu, J. (2002).Black students: Middle-class teachers. Chicago: African American

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Merrick, E. (2001).Reconceiving Black adolescent childbearing. Boulder, CO: Westview

Press.

Murrell, P. C., Jr. (2002).African-centered pedagogy: Developing schools of achievement

for African American children . Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

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Poulson-Bryant, S. (2005).Hung: A meditation on the measure of Black men in America.

New York: Doubleday.

Shade, B. J., Kelly, C., & Oberg, M. (1997). Creating culturally responsive classrooms.

Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

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Staples, R. (1982). The Black masculinity: The Black male's role in American society. San

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Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M., Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A. M. B., Nadal, K.

L., & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for

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PsycCRITIQUES

1554-0138

Thomas-El, S., & Murphey, C. (2003).I choose to stay: A Black teacher refuses to desert the

inner city. New York: Kensington.

Tucker, C. M., & Herman, K. C. (2002). Using culturally sensitive theories and research to

meet the needs of low-income African American children.American Psychologist,

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and schools. New York: Teachers College Press.

Watts, R. J., & Jagers, R. J. (Eds.). (1997). Manhood development in urban African

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February 25, 2009, Vol. 54, Release 8, Article 4

2009, American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org/about/copyright.htmlhttp://www.apa.org/about/copyright.htmlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.57.10.762http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.57.10.762http://psycinfo.apa.org/doi/getuid.cfm?uid=2002-18352-002http://psycinfo.apa.org/doi/getuid.cfm?uid=2002-18352-002

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200815995_psq_54-8_AfricanAmericanMalesAnEndangeredSpeciesInThe21stCentury