Black Teachers Have the Highest Morale. Why?

Black teachers report the highest job-related morale among educators, despite facing significant job stresses that contribute to high turnover rates. According to the Education Week State of Teaching survey, Black teachers have a morale score of +5, higher than their White, Hispanic, and multiracial peers. The sense of fulfillment from contributing positively to their communities drives this morale. “When you feel like you’re contributing something mightily to a group of people who you identify with, who you share a cultural background with, … it gives you hope, it gives you inspiration,” said Sharif El-Mekki, the founder and chief executive officer of the Center for Black Educator Development. “It feels like this is something weighty and worthy of my best efforts, my best thinking.”