Recognizing October as Black Male Educators Month in the City of Philadelphia and honoring the Center for Black Educator Development and the National #WeNeedBlackTeachers Campaign for their leadership in the recruitment, development, and retention of Black male educators.

Recognizing October as Black Male Educators Month in the City of Philadelphia and honoring the Center for Black Educator Development and the National #WeNeedBlackTeachers Campaign for their leadership in the recruitment, development, and retention of Black male educators. WHEREAS, The National #WeNeedBlackTeachers campaign has highlighted decades of research showing the transformative impact of Black educators on student outcomes, particularly for Black youth; and WHEREAS, Through digital organizing, these student activists ignited the campaign using the hashtag #WeNeedBlackTeachers, generating online dialogue with impressions surpassing six million, all with the goal of transforming the way young people, especially Black students who lack teacher representation experience education; and WHEREAS, The campaign calls on individuals, institutions, and communities to join in amplifying its mission and rebuilding the National Black Teacher Pipeline. Research shows that when Black students have just one Black elementary school teacher, they are 29% more likely to go to college, and with two Black teachers, they are 32% more likely to attend college; and WHEREAS, Black male educators play a vital role in countering bias and fostering equitable learning, yet they remain deeply underrepresented, comprising fewer than 2% of public-school teachers nationwide and less than 5% in Philadelphia. A City where culturally responsive support is most needed, leaving most students to complete the…