With students across California returning to classrooms earlier this autumn, it’s become undeniable that the ongoing pandemic is exacerbating systemic issues that long pre-date Covid-19.

As in many similar districts, Black students in Los Angeles County schools face unique and serious equity barriers, and many teachers are not equipped to address the disparity in access to opportunities that are obvious in their own classes.

Even beyond cut-and-dried academic outcomes, Black students are less likely than their peers to feel welcomed and supported in the classroom and more likely to face suspensions and other punitive measures. And 40% of Black parents report bullying directed toward their child — the highest percentage of any racial group.

One report released in the summer found that two-thirds of Black parents were reluctant to return their kids to the classroom this year at all, with 43% of those parents citing bullying or low academic standards for Black students as their reasons.

Ensuring that Black students enjoy the same level of security and opportunity afforded to white students in schools begins in the classroom, with teachers who are motivated and prepared with proven tools and strategies to differentiate their instruction for each child, lead classrooms that honor the backgrounds of our kids and better serve all our students.

For example, in our early childhood program, our department has provided a variety of multicultural dolls, books, foods and other toys to help reflect a multitude of our students’ experiences, but not all teachers are able to effectively utilize them due to lack of training on how to integrate them into all areas of their classroom.

Read the full article about Black student success by Lyndsey Bonomolo at EdSource.