There’s no denying that the numbers are dismal when it comes to Black young men who attend and graduate from colleges in the U.S. Statistically speaking, Black men have the lowest test scores, the worst grades and the highest dropout rates—in K-12 education and in college, too. The school to prison pipeline is a real phenomenon, with state prisons systems determining their future populations with stunning accuracy based on fourth-grade reading assessment scores. The recognition of this educational crisis has led to some strong initiatives targeting young Black men with the intention of guiding them through the college years and to successful, productive lives that follow.
Any college initiatives targeted at a particular group of people are bound to see some pushback from those who are excluded. Despite the obvious need for college incentive programs for this nation’s young Black men, there are plenty who complain about the special treatment these young men receive. Even highly-regarded institutions like Stanford University have alumni who have spoken out against affirmative action practices, pointing out that, instead of eliminating racial discrimination, these initiatives have actually led to reverse-discrimination on college campuses.
A Gallup Poll found that 67 percent of Americans are against any type of special treatment when it comes to admittance to college based on ethnicity or race, favoring instead a system that admits students based solely on merit. The belief that Black, and other minority, college students who are given special considerations for admittance and financial aid are somehow stealing opportunities from other deserving students certainly is widespread and gaining traction.
Black Women Cry Foul
Perhaps the most surprising of those who are vocally against the increasing amount of financial, mentoring and other college transitional services for Black men are Black women. On the surface, this would appear to be a detrimental activity. Isn’t the fight for equality and opportunities for Black men really a fight for all Black people? If you ask the Black women who are angered by the initiatives available for their counterparts, that answer is, “No.” Where is the love for Black women with college aspirations—many of whom fall into disadvantaged categories themselves?
Programs like San Jacinto College’s Men of Honor target Black male college students with life programs that not only aid in college graduation, but in the development of life skills and networking opportunities. The TRUMPET program implemented at Northeastern Technical College has increased the retention rate for Black students from around half to nearly 90 percent. Programs like these that focus on guiding Black male college students through the process appear to be working, but is it at the detriment of female Black college students?
Why do Black men seem to be hogging all the college initiative programs?
