KALAMAZOO, MI — Even in diverse communities, Black leaders in education can be few and far between.
According to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, about 9% of school principals are Black. For senior positions such as superintendent, the percentage is even lower.
But Kalamazoo has four such leaders at the top of the organization. And they think that's something to be proud of.
Kalamazoo's Committee of Black Educational Leaders said it's hard to consider yourself a leader if you don't have someone to lean on. Throughout their careers, they faced the same hurdles that black students face today. Now they can remove those obstacles.
The Kalamazoo area has four Black education leaders, listed below. Three of them joined her MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette for a roundtable discussion to kick off Black History Month on Friday, February 2nd.
- Edward Montgomery, President of Western Michigan University
- Darrin Slade, Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent
- Mr. Dedrick Martin, Director of Kalamazoo Regional Educational Services Agency
- Marshall Washington, president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College (Washington was unable to participate in the panel discussion)
“When kids see someone who looks like them from a background, they can dream and start thinking, 'I see myself in this role,'” Martin said.
Martin is KRESA's first African American director. He said before coming to Kalamazoo, Martin worked in a place where “DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) was a bad word.
But he says ignoring the importance of diversity is a disservice to students.
“This is America. We're in a diverse environment,” he said.
In Kalamazoo County's KRESA area, 59.5% of students were white and 18.7% were black in 2022-2023, according to state data. The next most prevalent racial groups were multiracial and Hispanic students, at 10% and 9%, respectively.
In Kalamazoo Public Schools, the largest school district in KRESA's coverage area, the demographics look a little different when looking at 2022-2023 data. Black students make up the largest racial demographic at 37.7%. He is closely followed by white students at 35.3%. Multiracial and Hispanic students follow at about 12% each.
“Adults in the district need to reflect the student body…because everyone thinks differently, everyone has a different perspective,” Slade said.
Slade took over as KPS coach last July. Finding a new superintendent who represents the district's diverse student body was an important part of the selection process. Mr. Slade's hire is unique given the underrepresentation of black leaders in regulators. According to the American Association of School Administrators, only 3.4% of school superintendents nationwide are black.
Slade is KPS's second black coach. He is the first black school board president and vice president to serve at the same time.
From the beginning, one of Slade College's top priorities was to increase the graduation rate of African American male students.
“When I tell them they need to go to college, they need to graduate from college, they sound different than me because they can see themselves in me. ,” Slade said.
According to MI School Data, in 2021-2022 (the most recent year of data available), the four-year graduation rate for African American male students at KPS was 52%. This is the lowest percentage of any racial and gender demographic in the district.
KPS Board President Teanna Harrison said at the March 2023 board meeting where the data was released that the city's minority graduation rates are “pretty shocking.”
According to MI school data, the graduation rate for black male students statewide during the same period was 64.7%.
At WMU, Montgomery also implemented discussions around DEI. Supporting marginalized groups through scholarships and other programs is a key part of the university's historic $550 million “Gift to Empower the Future,” according to the Chronicle of Higher Education It is one of the largest gifts to a public institution in history.
“(Equity is) part of what the team brings (and) probably also part of what an African-American president brings. Let's not leave anyone behind,” Montgomery said.
The program, funded by the Empowering Futures Gift, is designed to help WMU achieve its mission of “enabling learning for all.” To do that, Montgomery said, conditions need to improve for Black people and other marginalized student groups.
“Maybe (graduation and retention rates) are always going to be that way, but it doesn't have to be that way,” Montgomery said. “It is possible to change the conditions.”
All three educators agreed on one point. That means Kalamazoo doesn't have roadblocks like other places.
“Kalamazoo…is much more open to discussions about diversity and focused on improving outcomes for all students,” Slade said.
Having four Black education leaders in town and Kalamazoo College President Jorge Gonzalez, who is Hispanic, is a good start, Martin said.
“If that doesn't speak volumes about how great Kalamazoo is, I don't know what does,” Martin said.
Montgomery agreed.
“There may be fewer than five people in the state, much less in one city,” Montgomery said. “It's really amazing.”
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