Antonea Griffin

Discovering the Issues Behind Boys Underachievement

My brother, Anthony, faced many problems in school after my mom died.

In first grade, he was suspended. In third grade, he was expelled. We had to find a
new school for him.
At his previous school, the teachers and administration didnt want to leave him
behind. Their solution was to promote him to the next grade, even though my aunt, his
legal guardian, believed that he was not ready. He had lost another year because of this.
Many people believe that he had a behavioral problem. But was he a child with
behavioral issues or were there other issues making it worse?
My brother is not alone. Black boys often identify themselves and are identified
by others as bad students both within and outside United States. Is it the gender gap? Is
it socio-economic standards and poverty? Or is it more?
Andrea Simms thinks its more to failing of African American boys.
Sims, an assistant professor of education, teaches to students entering the field of
special education the importance of knowing a childs background before entering any
field that has to deal with teaching.
Faculty staff members within the education department at SUNY Plattsburgh
focus on this issue intensively and discuss it, along with surrounding topics, in-depth
during their classes.
Studies have shown that since early ages, the growth process of young boys and
girls varies. The way that the child is identified plays a role in social norms in school,

Antonea Griffin2
said Jyotsna Jha in Boys Underachievement in Education An Exploration in Selected
CommonWealth Countries.
Yes, gender does play a big factor in this issue, but there is more to it. Its the
socio-economic conditions they live in, the race they are, their financial status, as well as
the educational opportunities that are given to them, said Dr. Emily Daniels, literacy
educator at SUNY Plattsburgh.
From birth, children are identified by their gender, according to John Locke in
Boys Underachievement. Children are determined by their sex and then treated
accordingly to their gender. There are different expectations of each gender and
viewpoints vary based on sex, culture and sociological factors.
Girls are offered much more assistance in school and in the workforce; these
opportunities help build their stamina to be great individuals. But you do not see a lot of
these same offerings for young boys, said Dr. Beathem.
Studies show that boys are taught to be tough and masculine, whereas girls are
taught to be pretty and are acknowledged for the emotions they show. When parenting
kids, girls are usually held all the time when they cry, and boys are taught to cry until
they stop and to ignore their feelings on their own and essentially internalize them.
Its not sex we need to focus on; its gender, says Dr. Mark Beathem, adolescent
educator at SUNY Plattsburgh.
Its a cultural problem where boys are not entitled to have feelings especially in
classrooms that are predominantly taught by white middle-class women.
Studies have shown that there was a drastic rise in suspensions of black middle
school students since the 1970s,according to the article Teaching Tolerance.

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Additionally, studies have examined the demographics of the students and staff.
These studies help focus on the understanding of the difference in the cultural
background of each.
If teachers have no prior experience with the differences between themselves and
their students, then this can lead to many misunderstandings. In many settings, the
educators come from a different background than the students they teach. Most educators
are white, middle-class women who are raised with many set rules that the students they
teach are not exposed to. For example, in the school setting, they are taught that taking
turns is a must, wrote Jha.
However, if students decide to speak out-of-turn, interject in a conversation, or
shout without raising their hand, they are labeled as misbehaving.
Studies show that when boys of color act this way, they are often given severe
consequences like suspension or detention, and even sent to juvenile detention centers, as
opposed to those actions of white boys, according to Teaching Tolerance.
We dont serve black children well in school, theyre usually singled out,
according to Dr. Daniels.
When Professor Jean Ann Hunt, program leader in literacy educator, was asked,
Are teachers afraid of Afro-Caribbean boys? her response was absolutely. And one
can speculate it is true for other black boys.
A school in England did a study of 300 seven- and eight-year-olds showing that
boys at this age valued teachers, regardless of gender, on their consistency and equalhanded support of their learning. If an educator enters the classroom yelling and dictates
to the student what to do, it is likely the student will not pay attention.

Antonea Griffin4
However, if you have educators who come in letting the students know that the
teachers job is to help and maintain the childs understanding of the material, then
students are much more likely to be engaged. A teachers attitude plays a critical role, as
does the interaction between the teacher and student. Studies show that once a teacher
develops human relationships within the classroom, it helps influence young boys.
Female educators believe that girls are easier than boys because they believe they
are taught to be respectful and have self-control.
Daniel, Simms and Beathem agreed that educators should know what the
upbringing of the children they teach looks like.
Another reason of this idea in the underachievement of boys social promotion.
Teachers do not like the idea of leaving a student behind. They believe that
leaving a child behind will increase the level of misunderstanding in a childs education.
Because of this, schools are starting to become the pipeline to prison for young African
American boys, according to the article Teaching Tolerance.
We dont serve black children well in school, theyre usually singled out, said
Dr. Daniels.
Studies also show that boys tend to act out more than girls because of the
stereotypes and diagnoses impacting the perception of the educator.
When it comes to being diagnosed with special needs, boys outnumbered girls,
says Simms. Boys are diagnosed with conduct disorder, ADHD, substance abuse, EBD,
aggression, external behaviors and many more at such a young age.
Boys are over referred to special needs classes, but they also dont get what is needed,
said Dr. Daniels.

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Teachers are the first contact to do referrals. So, if a child is misbehaving and has
a mental disorder, teachers are usually the first to pick up on it. What is normal is
relative! However, generalizing a student because of misinterpretation is not what
determines a students future.
Faculty and staff at SUNY Plattsburgh say there are strategies to address these
problems with boys. More male teachers in the classroom, as well as boy-friendly
teaching methods will help enhance the academic studies of boys. Educators should also
work together to discuss the issues that occur with the underachievement of all students.
Ive struggled trying to figure out the cause of my brothers lack of interest in
higher education. Although I couldnt come to a complete understanding, after this study,
Ive come to believe it is more than one issue, and these issues need to be dealt with. It
starts with educators. We need to learn how to build and put a stop in the increasing of
underachievement.

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http://www3.delta.edu/cmurbano/bio199/AIDS_Sexuality/BabyX.pdf

Jha, Jyotsna. "Boy's Underachievement in Education An

Exploration in Selected CommonWealth
Countries."Http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACREGTOPG
ENDER/Resources/CommonwealthBoysUnderachievement.pdfht
tp://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLACREGTOPGENDER/Resou
rces/CommonwealthBoysUnderachievement.pdf. Web. 07 Mar.
2016.

"GEA - Gender and Education Association." GEA Gender and

Education Association. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.

Costello, Maureen. "Cut Your Chances of Suspension: Don't Be Black." Cut

Your Chances of Suspension: Don't Be Black. Southern Poverty Law
Center, 15 Sept. 2010. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.