Marcus just completed his third year at Lake Norman Charter. He has been an administrator for 10 years with a total career in education spanning 17 years. You can follow him on Twitter (@FunchessEDU).
As a Black man and educator in this country, I've never tried to impose my views or experiences on any of my students or colleagues. I usually remain quiet and reserve my opinions and thoughts to myself and get my work done. Working in some minimally diverse schools, I've always tried to carry myself as a role model. I recognize that for some people I may be the only example of a Black male professional they see on a regular basis. However, with what's going on in the country today, I no longer feel that my silence is helpful. I've been struggling with how to have an effective impact at my school as we progress through this tumultuous time. So, here’s my attempt.
The plight of Black people in this country, especially Black men, is well documented but often grossly underrepresented in school systems through curriculum and personnel. I have tolerated for most of my life being one of “the few.” This started from being the only Black male in my Academically Gifted classes to one of the few Black male teachers in my school to the only Black male administrator in my entire school district. In all of these situations, I’ve had to be twice as good and work twice as hard to be seen as equal – I didn’t have the leniency to make mistakes as my colleagues did. In the past, I have felt that my talents were overlooked and I was placed in a box. I even sometimes felt that I was hired just to fulfill a quota – unsure if I truly deserved the position or if I was respected for my qualifications. Being one of “the few,” I’ve often felt isolated. These have been my experiences in our educational system.
Today, I’m blessed to work on an administration team at a school where I feel valued and respected. My school has a board committee focused on Global Diversity and Inclusion. Our administration team has put out a statement of support and understanding to our families recognizing the need to improve our situation. During this time while our country is protesting police brutality, social injustice, and systematic racism and oppression, we are looking at ways to support our students and families. I am so proud of some of our students like Erica, Jamari, Shawn, and Bryce for organizing a peaceful protest this past weekend.
These challenges have reminded me that my experiences and perspectives are part of the value I bring to my school community. I will continue to share and work with students, faculty, and families at my school to help promote growth and reflection.
Respectfully,
Marcus K. Funchess
Assistant Principal
Lake Norman Charter HS
Thank you for viewing,
Craig S. Smith
Principal
Lake Norman Charter HS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
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