Structured Group Dialogues

One chief component of any advocacy effort is having a conversation.

We encourage you to engage your network, your community and those within you spheres of influence along ACEI’s major advocacy points. For a list of conversation starters see below:

The following list has been adopted from: M.S. Henfield, “The Stress of Black Male Achievement: Ten Nonnegotiables”, Gifted Child Today, 14 June 2012, https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217512445999

  1. Black male underrepresentation in gifted and advanced courses is unjustified as giftedness is found in all racial, gender and economic groups. As such, those Black males who manage to achieve success academically should not be thought of as an anomaly--success should be perceived as the norm.

  2. If Black males are not present in gifted and advanced classes, this is a problem which should be addressed

  3. The systemic barriers facing Black males in education are numerous and must be addressed by the school and the powers that control and influence the academic setting

  4. Black males are misunderstood and their actions are often criminalized.

  5. Black male emotions are too often vilified and used to mislabel and penalize them.

  6. Like all others, Black males desire success. The need in K-12 education is not the generation of aspirations but a robust and effective presence of support to resist stereotype threats

  7. Black males need challenging curriculum and culturally relevant teachings to inform not only their mental development but also their self-concept and cultural identity

  8. Black male will use their gifts and talents in socially accepted ways, if allowed

  9. School Counselors are essential and irreplaceable partners in identifying students and enrolling Black boys in advanced and gifted courses.

  10. School counselors are essential and irreplaceable in cultivating and not assassinating a culture of Black male success