Parents choose to homeschool their kids for a variety of reasons: religion, dissatisfaction with existing options, more personalized instruction. But according to the Hechinger Report, for some African American families, racism, a school culture of low expectations for their kids and the poor treatment of boys in particular, are contributing to their growing exit from the public school system. This shift has created some tension for those who have struggled for greater inclusion within schools as part of their civil rights. Jessica Huseman's report includes the work of Ama Mazama, an African American Studies professor at Temple University:
In a 2012 report published in the Journal of Black Studies, she surveyed black homeschooling families from around the country and found most chose to educate their children at home, at least in part, to avoid school-related racism. Mazama calls this rationale “racial protectionism” and said it is a response to the inability of schools to meet the needs of black students.
“We have all heard that the American education system is not the best and is falling behind in terms of international standards,” she said. “But this is compounded for black children, who are treated as though they are not as intelligent and cannot perform as well, and therefore the standards for them should be lower.”
Why more black parents are homeschooling their children - The Hechinger Report