Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Why MOBB, Inc.?

Why Mothers of Black Boys, Incorporated? Is there really a need for such organization? Is it really that big of a deal?

As an eleven year veteran of urban teaching, it sometimes feel like it is not getting any better. You would think that with technology growing so rapidly and resources at the finger tips of our children, the academic achievement gap between black males and their counterparts would be decreasing. Instead, it is growing with no means to an end. Mentoring and after school programs are packed with hardly enough adult assistance. Something must be done!

After giving birth to my eldest son, Justen in 1999, who is now twelve years old, I saw the world differently. I became concerned  for how people treated each other. I knew that the odds were against Justen from the moment he took his first breath. For one, he was black and the other reason he was a boy. At that moment I took education very serious. Just enough wasn't good enough. I wanted Justen to beat the odds, so I took everything serious. I had to be an example to him. During that time I also went back to college to finish up my bachelor's degree. How could I tell Justen that education was important when I didn't finish school? When I went back to finish, I had only my 12 credit hours to complete. I was a nontraditional student with a family...I had to be an example for my son. Getting a bachelor's degree was no longer an option. Justen was my motivation.   

Shortly after I received my bachelor's degree, I got a job as a teacher in an urban school. I spent countless hours preparing to educate what researchers and statistics proved to be the most difficult subgroup of students. At times I would feel overwhelmed and unsuccessful at proving that black boys are intelligent. After all, their own parents didn't seem interested or concern. They didn't show up for conferences. They didn't help with homework. Only came out to the school if they thought someone mistreated their child. This was disheartening and stressful. The demands for holding me accountable were getting on my nerves. It seemed as if parents were not taking their responsibilities and duties as a parent seriously. I was getting sick and tired of it. All I wanted was for them to understand that they were their child's first teacher. If they sent their children to school with the basics (how to spell their names, knowing their ABC's, etc), it wouldn't be so difficult for me and their child's success would come easily. Now because of the way I was feeling, I added extra elbow grease to make sure that my son was not going to be a statistic. I became proactive and optimistic. I researched the best daycares, talked to other parents whose children were around the same age as my son, and I made sure that made sure that his caregivers understood how much we valued education. And of course, some of them found me overbearing but my son was on track and ready for public school kindergarten.

Three years after I started teaching I couldn't stop educating myself, so I enrolled in Columbia College's Master of Education program. I was one busy woman. Still teaching. Moved to a new house. Initiated to my sorority and was expecting baby #2. Running in the opposite direction of hard work was not me. It seemed like I was running in to hard work. Within that year, I gave birth to another male child and took the responsibility of caring for and educating him serious as well. While my sons had a very good father in the home with them, I took the assignment God gave me extremely serious. There was no way that I was going to allow them to be a statistic. Today my oldest son is continuing to be an honor student. He has been invited to study abroad with People to People Ambassadors in Australia and in other states as a National Young Scholar.

 None of boys' successes wouldn't be possible without setting high expectations, proper educational planning, and consistent collaboration with other mothers. It has proven that black boys can be successful. My son is continuing to excel academically by earning excellent grades in school. As a sixth grader, he is a Duke TIP scholar and is well on the way to obtain other scholastic accolades. It is my sincere belief that if mothers, who play very important roles in the lives of their sons, are equipped with appropriate strategies, resources, and a strong support system, their sons will beat the odds.

In 2009 while completing my dissertation, I found that research was conducted decades ago and is still being done as an attempt to close the achievement gap between black boys and their counterparts. As a means to change the image of black boys, God gave me a vision to form a support group for mothers raising black boys that would provide assistance and support, encouragement and resources to mothers whose sons looked like mine. I believe that it can be done. My efforts and the unknown efforts of parents who go above and beyond the call it is evident that BLACK BOYS ARE SMART, TOO!

Dr. Jacquetta M. Chatman
Founder/President
Mothers of Black Boys, Incorporated




1 comment:

  1. I absolutely enjoyed this blog and I am interested in being apart of this organization in Lansing Michigan. I am currently enrolled at Central Michigan University majoring in Community Developement. Although I am a mother of a daughter, I passionately feel the desperate need to save our black boys. Your blog brought me to tears. We all can relate to the affects this has brought amongst our families and communities.
    If possible, can you please send more information on how I can get involved.

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