Educational reformers have drawn national attention to the African American teacher shortage by providing demographic and empirical data that illustrate the racial imbalance within the teaching profession. Notably absent from the data, however, are the voices of the students for whom reforms are intended. This article presents the narratives of a group of African American students to illustrate the impact on students of having or not having African American teachers. Listening to students’ descriptions of their interaction with their teachers and their praise of their African American teachers illuminates why recruiting more teachers of color is important not only to the profession but also, crucially, to the students themselves.
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