Black male educators arrive in Philly, with hope, at conference: ‘We need to show that we are more than just disciplinarians’

Hundreds of educators from across the U.S. attend the welcoming session at the eighth annual Black Men in Education Convening at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Center City on Thursday. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN William Hayes, the emcee for the MEC conference and chief executive officer of Boys Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, on Thursday. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN Hundreds of educators from across the U.S. attend the welcoming session at the eighth annual Black Men in Education Convening at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Center City on Thursday. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN Attendees listened to educator Leslie Fenwick on Thursday at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel in Center City. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN Bryce Thompson, an educator from Houston, Texas, addresses the audience Thursday in Center City. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN Educator Greg Carr speaks at the Black Men in Education Convening on Thursday. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN William Hayes, the emcee for the MEC conference and chief executive officer of Boys Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, on Thursday. —TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN The Black Men in Education Convening kicked off its eighth year in Philadelphia on Thursday to inspire with hopes of increasing the number of Black male teachers across the U.S. “These events are absolutely important,” said William Hayes, the emcee for the conference and chief executive officer of Boys Latin of Philadelphia Charter School. “Spaces like this provide community to young educators and veteran educators.” The conference held at the Loews Hotel in Center City will run through Saturday. Scheduled speakers include Grammy-winner Lupe Fiasco; Howard University education policy professor Leslie Fenwick; Howard African Studies professor Greg Carr; MacArthur Genius fellow Lisa Delpit; education professor Chris Emdin; and School District of Philadelphia Superintendent Tony Watlington Sr. Black educators make up about 7% of the public-school workforce, with Black men representing 1.3% of teachers. The event seeks to connect educators to resources, with the theme of this year’s conference being “Power to the Pupil.” “I think it’s important to come together annually,” said Darnell Anderson, an attendee and climate manager with the School District of Philadelphia. “Any chance we get because we must push positivity and we must continue to uplift our youth.” Educators came from places like Washington, D.C.; Detroit and Maryland, and there were students from Morgan State University, Delaware State University and Arcadia University in attendance. “I think it’s important for us to congregate as Black men in education,” said David McMullin Jr., a senior talent partner at the School District of Philadelphia. “For the simple fact that we’re always the minority in the room when it comes down to education, we need to know that it is a safe place to not only articulate our thoughts, but we need to show that we are more than just disciplinarians.” McMullin Jr. also expressed the importance of spaces like the conference to help learn how to deal with aggression from students. “I think it’s important in our urban areas for our kids to see people that look like us,” said Darrien Peoples, an assistant principal at Mastery Grover Cleveland Elementary School in Nicetown. “I think it’s important for Black males specifically to be in education, I think it’s always important when we can come together and learn from each other.” Peoples said he hoped to meet and reconnect with people during the conference and learn what he can use to improve the learning environment for students, staff and families. “I think it’s dope to be able to see different people from D.C., Maryland and see what works for them in the inner city, Philly right now is dealing with a lot,” Anderson said. Anderson and McMullin Jr. said they think a lot of problems within the schools boil down to mentorship and understanding what children are going through. “Philadelphia is home,” Hayes said. “To be in this place is not only a testament to the culture and community of Philadelphia, but to the impact Philadelphia has all over the world.” Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW! Click Here Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don’t Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We’d love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
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