Black men comprise less than 1% of Minnesota’s teachers. This group is trying to change that.

A Twin Cities organization is working to increase Black male representation in Minnesota classrooms and improve outcomes for students of color across the state.

Black Men Teach is the group heading the effort. The goal is to recruit and retain Black males in the education field.

As students pour into the classroom, third graders at Eisenhower Elementary School in Hopkins are met with a teacher who’s hard to find.

“I think they just see me — as a Black male in the classroom — as a teacher they can finally identify with,” said Raphael Barnett, Eisenhower Elementary teacher.

Barnett is a part of the less than 1% of Black male teachers in Minnesota.

“I don’t think I had a Black teacher until college,” he said.

In the Hopkins School District, 50% of the students are kids of color.

Barnett said his presence makes a difference academically and socially.

“I have students that aren’t even in my classroom who run up and give me high fives and hug me and say good morning,” he said.

According to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education study, when there are more Black teachers in the classroom, kids of color stay in school longer and are less likely to drop out of high school.

“In the short term, we see things like increased daily school attendance, increased likelihood of being enrolled in a talented and gifted program, and you see decreases in disciplinary incidents,” said Markus Flynn, Black Men Teach executive director.

The organization helps recruit Black male teachers and place them in elementary schools in the metro.

Five years ago, only seven Black males were involved in the effort. Now, there are 70 teachers, including Barnett.

“I know for a fact these students who experience him [Barnett] will go further in education as a byproduct. No question,” Flynn said. “I’ve seen the impact that our men have and it’s inspiring.”

Barnett said he’s hoping to be the representation students of color need to succeed.

“Students need to see someone who looks like where they’re from,” he said. “Students need to be loved.”

Black Men Teach is always recruiting teachers to get involved with their effort. Contact info@blackmenteachtc.org for more information.