Black Teachers
Futures
Many churches are already active in this way, but we want them to continue to use their Sunday schools, youth clubs and other educational initiatives to get positive messages to our black boys and young people on the whole.”
‘Black teachers - crucial role for young black men’ Key black church leaders are calling on black men to turn to teaching as a career to provide more role models for young Black pupils. The Black Christian Leaders Forum (BCLF) made the appeal following a meeting with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), where they discussed the need for more black teachers, particularly men. BCLF member Dr Joe Aldred, Secretary for Minority Christian Affairs for Churches Together in England, said the country needs more good black teachers to act as mentors. He said: “In urban areas around the country, it’s clear that black boys and young black men are finding difficulty in negotiating their way in life. “It’s crucial for people who have similar backgrounds to these boys to mentor and teach them at the critical points in their lives, particularly when they are young and
impressionable at school.” The BCLF is also encouraging Black Majority Churches to continue building good relationships between their members and local schools. The Rev Katei Kirby, CEO of the African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance and a BCLF member, said: “Many churches are already active in this way, but we want them to continue to use their Sunday schools, youth clubs and other educational initiatives to get positive messages to our black boys and young people on the whole.” The meeting was the first in a series of departmental discussions following talks between Gordon Brown, Tottenham MP David Lammy and the BCLF in October 2007, when the Prime Minister pledged support for the group and urged them to continue helping build stronger communities. n
BCLF - The Black Christian Leaders Forum The Black Christian Leaders Forum (BCLF) exists to bring together the diversity of hearts and minds of black Christian leaders who share a common vision for social transformation. Core group members of the BCLF are: Bishop Rev Dr Joe Aldred – Churches Together in England Bishop John Francis – Founder and Senior Pastor of Ruach Ministries Rev Esme Beswick - Joint Council for Anglo-Caribbean Churches Rev Dr Joel Edwards – General Director of the Evangelical Alliance Rev Katei Kirby – Chief Executive Officer of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance Dr R David Muir – Public Policy Director of the Evangelical Alliance Rev Nims Obunge – Chief Executive Officer of the Peace Alliance Rev Dr Albert Odulele – Senior Pastor, Glory House Church Pastor Ade Omooba – Coherent and Cohesive Voice campaigns The Black Teachers Network was launched in December 2007 by ex-London Mayor Ken Livingstone and MP Diane Abbott. A report commissioned by the Mayor of London in 2006 said Black teachers are under represented in the city’s schools – while the highest proportion of Black teachers can be found in the boroughs of Hackney, Lambeth and Southward (16 – 18 percent), in the latter two boroughs almost 50 percent of the student population is Black.
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