For generations, public schools have failed Black and brown children, not because these children lacked the ability to succeed, but because the system was never designed to serve them equitably. The racial disparities in education today are not accidental—they are the result of deliberate historical decisions, systemic racism, and ongoing neglect. To understand the root of this disservice, we must examine what happened to Black educators after desegregation and how the widespread presence of white teachers—many of whom never wanted to teach Black students—led to intentional and unintentional miseducation.
The Destruction of Black Education After Desegregation
Before desegregation, Black schools, though underfunded, were led by deeply committed and highly educated Black teachers who saw their work as an act of resistance and empowerment. These educators instilled knowledge, confidence, and cultural pride in their students, fostering generations of Black excellence despite systemic barriers. However, when the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that “separate but equal” was unconstitutional, the result was not the equal integration of Black students and educators into white schools, but rather the wholesale dismantling of Black educational institutions.
Between 1954 and 1970, nearly 40,000 Black teachers and administrators lost their jobs. Instead of integrating Black teachers into newly desegregated schools, white school boards pushed them out, deeming them unqualified despite their extensive experience and credentials. This mass displacement meant that Black children, who had once been taught by teachers who understood their cultural background and had high expectations for them, were now placed under the authority of white teachers who, in many cases, did not want them there at all.
White Teachers and the Miseducation of Black Children
The forced introduction of Black children into predominantly white classrooms often meant they were stepping into hostile learning environments. Many white teachers had never been trained to educate Black students and harbored explicit or implicit biases that shaped how they taught—or, more accurately, how they failed to teach.
Research has shown that white teachers:
- Hold lower expectations for Black students compared to their white counterparts.
- Are more likely to refer Black students to special education rather than gifted programs.
- Discipline Black students more harshly than white students for the same infractions.
- Often lack cultural competency, making it difficult for them to engage students in meaningful ways.
In a 2016 study, researchers found that white teachers consistently underestimated the academic abilities of Black students, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy where Black students, deprived of rigorous instruction and high expectations, performed below their potential. This is not a failure of Black children—it is a failure of an educational system that places them in classrooms led by teachers who do not see their brilliance.
The School-to-Prison Pipeline: A Direct Result of Educational Neglect
The consequences of this systemic failure extend beyond academics. Schools have become a breeding ground for the criminalization of Black and brown youth through the school-to-prison pipeline—a system in which Black students are disproportionately subjected to harsh disciplinary measures that push them out of school and into the juvenile justice system.
- Black students are suspended at three times the rate of white students, often for subjective offenses like “defiance” or “attitude.”
- Schools with predominantly white teachers and administrators are more likely to employ zero-tolerance policies, which disproportionately target Black students.
- Black students are more likely to be referred to law enforcement for minor infractions, setting them on a path toward incarceration rather than education.
This criminalization starts early, often in elementary school, and reinforces the notion that Black children are problems to be managed rather than minds to be nurtured.
The Need for African-Centered Education
Public schools continue to fail Black children because they were never designed to educate them properly. To reverse this disservice, we must take control of our own education. One solution is the expansion of African-centered schools and community-led education initiatives, which prioritize Black history, culture, and empowerment in their curricula.
Studies show that Black students perform better when taught by Black teachers, yet only 7% of public school teachers are Black. The solution is clear: Black communities must invest in Black-led education, whether through charter schools, Saturday schools, homeschooling networks, or other independent institutions.
If the public school system refuses to serve Black and brown children equitably, then we must do what we have always done—educate and empower ourselves.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Education for Black and Brown Children
The historical and present-day failures of public education are undeniable. The removal of Black educators’ post-desegregation, the ongoing racial biases of white teachers, and the criminalization of Black youth all point to a system that is not broken, but functioning exactly as it was intended. If we want real change, we must reclaim our right to educate our children in ways that affirm, uplift, and prepare them for success. Anything less is a continuation of the very disservice we seek to dismantle.
