Black teachers are key mentors for Philly high school seniors navigating college decisions

Op-Ed: Black Teachers Help Philly Seniors Navigate College Decisions

JohnnyGreig/E+ Collection via Getty Images Zikia, a 12th grader in Philadelphia, was stressing over where she would attend college in the fall. Her charter school’s college decision ceremony was the next day, and she was torn between her two top choices. At a crossroads, she reached out to her favorite teacher, the only Black educator on her course schedule. “I texted him at nighttime,” she recalled. “I didn’t feel like I could do that with my o…

Black teachers are key mentors for Philly high school seniors navigating college decisions

In Pennsylvania, nearly 15% of students are Black, but less than 4% of teachers are. JohnnyGreig/E+ Collection via Getty ImagesZikia, a 12th grader in Philadelphia, was stressing over where she would attend college in the fall. Her charter school’s college decision ceremony was the next day, and she was torn between her two top choices. At a crossroads, she reached out to her favorite teacher, the only Black educator on her course schedule. “I t…

Why Mentorship From Black Teachers Matters

By Joseph Sageman, University of Pennsylvania Zikia, a 12th grader in Philadelphia, was stressing over where she would attend college in the fall. Her charter school’s college decision ceremony was the next day, and she was torn between her two top choices. At a crossroads, she reached out to her favorite teacher, the only Black educator on her course schedule. “I texted him at nighttime,” she recalled. “I didn’t feel like I could do that with m…