U.S. Education Secretary Works to Recruit Teachers at Morehouse

By Michelle Wirth

Atlanta, GA – U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and others paid a visit to Morehouse Monday to encourage more students at the college pursue teaching careers. The call to action is part of a national effort to recruit more diverse and highly qualified teachers.

Students were told by Secretary Duncan that only 2% of black men currently go into the teaching profession. But he says more are needed to close the achievement gap and help America compete in the global economy.

"If we're serious about giving all of our young children a chance to fulfill their tremendous academic and social potential, they need the role models, they need the mentors in their lives, not just the high school level but the first, second and third grade."

To further encourage students, Duncan says that salaries in the profession are rising. He also says they can take advantage of a new program that forgives student loans in exchange for ten years of teaching.

"So we're really trying to remove those barriers and elevate the status of the entire teaching profession."

The town hall meeting is part of a five-year national effort to recruit, and place 80,000 African American male teachers in the classroom by 2015.

Students also heard from Filmmaker and Morehouse Alum Spike Lee.

"Young brothers in the audience everyone can't be a business major. Them days at Wall Street our over. We have to educate ourselves. We have to educate our young black men."

Lee told students historically the black community valued education. But he says at the moment, a number of African American youth view those who pursue education as sellouts. Lee also told the students that the crack epidemic destroyed the black family and that more African American men are in prison than in college. He says having additional black educators can help break that cycle and restore the value system in the black community.