Black male educators to be recognized at Georgia Capitol event

Several groups are recognizing black male educators on Feb. 28 at the Georgia Capitol.

The event, hosted by Rep. Valencia Stovall, D-Forest Park, is being put together by Black Dads Count, Profound Gentlemen and the Center for Black Educator Development, among other organizations. Educators will gather Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the second floor of the Capitol Rotunda.

Black men, who make up about 2 percent of teachers nationwide, find themselves often playing dual roles — teacher in the classroom and mentor and male role model where, in many cases, none exists. That is especially true in urban areas such as metro Atlanta. Here, according to census figures, about half of the population is single-parent or low-income, and children's needs can go unheard.