Barriers to becoming teachers: Men of color discuss working in education, creating change

By ONME Newswire

Professor of liberal studies Ibrahim Shelton teaching in a classroom

CSU Monterey Bay’s Department of Education and Leadership hosted a discussion titled “Making a Difference: Men of Color in Education” on April 20. The event featured five panelists from diverse backgrounds and positions within the K-12 and higher education systems.

The event was organized to highlight the fact that there is a dearth of men of color in education and to discuss how to change that. According to the California Department of Education, only 6% of male teachers in Monterey County identify as Hispanic or Latino and only 1% identify as African American. The panelists described the many barri