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1. TOC Magazine
Outside the Box
(PULL OUT)
Little boys in need of positive role models, needing more academic support, boys who come to school
hungry, some who have been abused, boys with a slow start in early school preparation, precocious or
hyperactive boys – all may find themselves with the same future in special education
Black Boys and Special Education – Change Is Needed!
by Jawanza Kunjufu
Special education in this country has reached a state of national crisis. This $60 billion industry is impacting
the lives of many ​American children​ – and disproportionately black boys. Clearly, special education is a
vital part of education in general, but when it is misused, ​black boys​ are the ones suffering.
Black males​ are challenged in numerous ways in and outside the classroom. Only 61 percent of
African-American male​ regular students graduate from high school. Consider then that only 27 percent of
African-American male​ special education students graduate from high school.
The state of crisis for ​black boys​ is based on a need to look at the overall issues impacting their lives and to
consider new approaches to dealing with the problem. Special education has been used as an automatic
answer to behavior and emotional problems that can and should be addressed in a variety of ways. In many
cases, Ritalin and special education are seen as quick fixes. Ritalin is the fifth leading drug in America after
nicotine, alcohol, cocaine and marijuana.
The problem is systemic. Little boys in need of positive role models, needing more academic support, boys
who come to school hungry, some who have been abused, boys with a slow start in early school preparation,
precocious or hyperactive boys – all may find themselves with the same future in special education.
Economic Impact
The economic connection is that prisons project new construction based on current fourth grade reading
levels. How unfortunate it is that we believe it is better to incarcerate someone at $28,000 per year rather
than teach a child to read for less than $1,000. What’s the connection? Eighty percent of special education
students are deficient in reading and writing. ADD and ADHD represent 50 percent of the diagnoses of all
children placed in special education.
The truth is that it is difficult to solve this problem without discussing the difficult issue of racism in the
United States. There are four stages we go through before solving any problem: We first deny, then admit,
understand, and appreciate. Once beyond the denial phase, we must admit that race is a factor. We must
honestly ask ourselves if there has been any discrimination that exists in special education. Once we are able
to admit to the racism and discrimination that exist in special education, we can begin to understand how
racism is expressed in this industry. And finally, we must appreciate the racial and cultural differences of

2. African-American children, particularly males, so that we can reduce their disproportionate placement in
special education.
Since the Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education case in 1954, there has been a 66 percent decline in
African-American teachers​. Presently, only 7 percent of American teachers are African American, while
the student body is 17 percent. African-American males account for only 1 percent of that teaching force,
and the majority of them are employed in junior and senior high schools. Unfortunately, an African
American boy can go to school from kindergarten to sixth grade without ever experiencing an
African-American male teacher​. Along with that are an increasing number of ​white female teachers​.
Special education was never intended to be used as a dumping ground for male students, in particular,
African-American male students. As we attempt to begin investigating the truth about the disproportionate
number of black male students in special education, could the reason be that the ideal student, the norm, the
benchmark, is the white female student? Remember, even white males are placed in special education at a
far greater rate than white female students.
The following behaviors and attributes paint the profile of the ideal student:
*Quiet
*Can sit still for long periods of time
*A long attention span
*Can work independently
*Likes ditto sheets
*A left-brain learner
*Passive
*Speaks standard English
*Two-parent home
*Learned reading before second grade
*Well developed fine motor skills
When you compare this list with the attributes of many male students and consider learning styles and
culture of ​African-American children​, it is easier to understand why African-American children represent
only 17 percent of the school population but constitute more than 30 percent of the children in special
education. It also becomes apparent why ​African-American males​ represent almost 80 percent of
African-American children​ placed.
Inequities in discipline are also a factor. In ​The Color of Discipline​, Professor Russell Skiba of Indiana
University says that the determination factors for placing a child in special education, suspension, and
expulsion are highly subjective. White middle-income females receive warnings, low-income African
Americans, especially males, receive special education, suspension, and expulsion.
There is indeed a schoolhouse to jailhouse track. There is a relationship between special education and
prison, Ritalin and cocaine, between illiteracy and incarceration. But it does not have to be the case. There is
something each teacher can do – especially those with large numbers of African-American boys.
SOLUTIONS
While there are no easy answers to the problem of overuse of special education for ​black boys​, there are
some tested steps that can be taken.
*Pre-Referral Intervention Process​ – This solution comes from The National Association of Black School
Educators (NABSE).There is clearly a need for a step prior to special education referral, at which time

3. instructional staff may request help with a child who exhibits an academic or behavioral problem that the
teacher is unable to solve. The pre-referral intervention process is such a strategy because it prevents
referrals by assisting teachers and students with the problem in the context of the general education
classroom. Although different pre-referral intervention approaches exist, they all have one important
purpose: to provide supports necessary to maintain a student in general education if at all possible. The
professional literature suggests that pre-referral intervention processes show promise for preventing the over
identification of African-American students for special education referrals.
*Early Intervention​ – Since well-designed early intervention programs have been shown to affect
cognitive and social functioning, one would expect that those improvements would move some number of
students with mild disabilities over the threshold separating those who require special supports and those
who do not. There are some known factors that should be considered to avoid problems that black males
frequently face. The showdown and power struggle that can occur between black boys and female teachers
and their mothers can frequently be a factor in placing them on the path to special education. This is a
critical age for Rites of Passage and other opportunities that help them to become aware of the criteria of
manhood.
*In-School Suspensions​ – Frequently, suspensions are given for offenses such as fights and other
aggressive behavior. First, schools must commit to change. Set aside a policy that suspensions will be held
at school. Set aside a dedicated “Dr. King” room for in-house suspensions. The room should be well lit and
set up for students to work. Lesson plans could include intervention materials such as role play when
someone brushes against you and appropriate responses. Have students read and write about people in
history who used non-violent means to solve their problems.
*Single-Gender Classes​ – Public schools should consider establishing single-gender classrooms. I
encourage you to read the literature from the National Association of Single Sex Public Education
(NASSPE). In the past decade, there has been government approval of single-gender classrooms. It has been
accepted that they are in compliance with Title 9 legislation. As long as schools provide the same resources
for females as males, single-gender classrooms are acceptable. NASSPE has become a clearinghouse for
numerous schools and hundreds of single-gender classrooms that are making fantastic gains, not only in
terms of academic achievement, but also in a reduction of suspensions and special education placements.
I hope that the above solutions have been helpful and hat you will seriously consider implementing them in
your school.
It is the teacher’s job to make the classroom a place where every child can learn, to adjust to learning
differences, and to find a way to connect to every child – none are expendable. Be prepared to dig deeper to
help every child fulfill their dream and to see the giant inside them.
________________________________________________________________________
Jawanza Kunjufu​ is an educational consultant with ​African-American Images​. He is constantly on the
lecture circuit with over 30 different workshops, addressing students, parents, teachers, churches, and
community residents. He is also the author of Developing Strong ​Black Male​ Ministries, Hip Hop Street
Curriculum: Keeping It Real, Black Students – Middle-Class Teachers, State of Emergency: We Must Save
African American Males​ to name a few. Visit ​www.AfricanAmericanImages.com.