Creating a Beloved Community for Black Male Students: A Unified Approach

Introduction

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. often spoke of his vision of a beloved community that actively opposed barriers to equity. The beloved community concept emphasized collaborative efforts and social justice for the collective well-being (The King Center, n.d.). This aspirational objective continues to require a focus on advocacy for marginalized groups and dismantling oppressive policies and practices. As such, it is important to note that systemic challenges continue to exist for Black males even in modern society. For example, Black males are at increased risk of being killed by police (Edwards, 2019), imprisoned at a greater rate (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 2021), and are disproportionately impacted by unemployment compared to young White males (Chetty et al., 2020; Kuehn, 2013). School is a microcosm of society and as such, has been identified as a source of Black male contentions and distress that appear to mirror the ills of society. For instance, young Black males are 2.2 times more likely to be arrested in school (U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, 2014) and experience greater opportunity gaps (i.e., disciplined at a greater rate using exclusionary practices, underidentified for advanced educational programs, as well as are overidentified with behavioral and emotional conditions) compared to their White peers (Bruce et al., 2009; Davis et al., 2013; Gibson, 2020; National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2017a; NCES, 2017b). Moreover, exposure to ongoing trauma outside and inside school may serve to exacerbate problematic issues for Black male students. These students are diagnosed with mental health issues at a higher rate and are least likely to access support and treatment for related issues (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). This is concerning because incidences of self-injurious behavior and suicide are increasing for this population (Congressional Black Caucus, 2019). Notably, Black youth ages 13 and younger are twice as likely to die by suicide. Although the reason for this increase is debatable, Black Americans have historically suffered as a result of oppressive practices and studies reflect a connection between perceived racism to later suicide and morbid ideation (Walker et al., 2017). Further noted, “Suicide is what can happen at the extreme of when youth... are marginalized and lack the resources to cope with this marginalization” (Walker, 2016, para. 1). This continuous cycle of stress, also classified as racial trauma, can have significant adverse effects for this population as racism has been declared a public health crisis in at least 30 states within the United States (American Public Health Association, 2021). Racial trauma comprises the mental and physical effects of direct and indirect exposure to racism which can also be passed through generations (Jernigan & Daniel, 2011). Schools have acknowledged the need to intervene as well as provide mental health services geared toward addressing these alarming trends on behalf of Black male students. In fact, professional associations have released statements and practical tools to assist mental health and wellness providers in these endeavors (American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2020; National Association of School Psychologists [NASP], n.d.).