Overrepresentation of Young African American Males
Instructions
- Although there is an overall underidentification of students with emotional and behavioral disorders, young African American males are overrepresented in this category.
- Why do you believe that this is the case?
- Do you believe this is associated with the race, trust, and police legitimacy issue that is currently happening in the nation?
Special Learning
Overrepresentation of Young African American Males: Within the past few decades, studies have indicated a pattern of overrepresentation of African American males with emotional and behavioral disorders. I believe that the scenario is caused by some factors such as the fear of African American men by the white American teachers. The teaching staff is principally White people who attended White colleges while their students are mostly those of color. In my perspective, the white colleges fail to address the racial disparity between the whites and students of color (McKenna, 208). This results in social challenges while interacting with the students causing them behavioral and emotional disorders.
Another contributing factor concerns how African American men are generally perceived in America. Various studies indicate that this category of people is professed to be unintelligent, violent, drug-addicted, and unemployed (McKenna, 207). Such a perception leads the white teachers to automatically deny their creative, intentional, and intellectual capabilities. As a result, the students are judged to be threatening and unteachable and hence are referred for special education.
Association with the Race, Trust, and Police Legitimacy Issue: The ongoing issues of race, trust, and police legitimacy play a great role in determining the fate of Africa American students. Based on the concept of race, the Africa American men face discrimination which is triggered by the perception of being illiterate and incapable of achieving academic success (Cloonan, 9). The current plan by the American government to eliminate immigrants has ignited trust issues and police legitimacy. As a result, it is difficult to trust people of color even those with study permits in the country and hence the police also interrupt their freedom. Therefore, I believe that such issues contribute to the African American men to be associated with behavioral disorders, as a means to eliminate them from the country.
Work Cited
Cloonan, Emily J. “The Overrepresentation of African American Males in Special Education
Classroom: Advantages of Single Sex Education.” (2016).
McKenna, John. “The disproportionate representation of African Americans in programs for
students with emotional and behavioral disorders.” Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth 57.4 (2013): 206-211.
