A Milwaukee school says it is making progress on teacher diversity as districts across Wisconsin continue to struggle to fill classrooms.
Milwaukee Academy of Science has doubled the number of male educators of color on its staff in the last two years. School leaders say the effort is about more than filling vacancies — it is about making sure students see themselves reflected in the people teaching them.
Morgan Woods, the school's founding principal, said representation shapes what students believe is possible for their own futures.
"I believe that all our scholars, especially our black and brown children, especially our males, need mirrors and reflections of people that they see, so they have something to aspire to and look up to," Woods said.
That philosophy is shaping the school's culture, according to staff and students alike.
Christopher Conley, a 7th-grade ELA lead teacher at the school, said the need is personal and urgent.
Watch: Milwaukee school recruits male educators of color amid statewide teacher shortage
"Speaking from a black male perspective — it's a needed position. The kids that we service — they don't have a lot of male, positive male influence around them. So it's important that we step up," Connelly said.
Lamarquze Luckett, an assistant teacher at the school, said the presence of male educators sends a message to students about who belongs in the profession.
"It's very important that we show our face to kids, and it's because teachers are not just for women, it's also for men too. Men can be educators too," Luckett said.
For Kihere Zuberi, a 7th-grade student at Milwaukee Academy of Science, the impact is felt directly in the classroom.
"It's important to have at least a male teacher," Zuberi said.
Zuberi said when Black male teachers show up, explain the work, and push him, it changes how he sees school — and himself.
"What makes the place the best is like I said, the teachers seem to really, really care about our future," Zuberi said.
Woods said the connection students form with educators who look like them goes deeper than academics.
"When people see people that look like them, they're able to connect with them on a deeper level, and it just allows them to build a rapport and just build our students up," Woods said.
School leaders say the goal is to build a lasting pipeline of Black male educators and ensure those teachers stay in the profession long-term.
The school hosted a community hiring event Monday at Gee's Clippers in Milwaukee as part of its Brothers in Education initiative. The event was open to the public.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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