Christian leaders call for more black male teachers

Key black church leaders have called on black men to turn to teaching as a career to provide more role models for young black pupils.

The Black Christian Leaders Forum (BCLF) made the appeal following a meeting on Monday with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), where they discussed the need for more black teachers, particularly men.

BCLF member Dr Joe Aldred, Secretary for Minority Christian Affairs for Churches Together in England, said the country needs more good black teachers to act as mentors.

He said: "In urban areas around the country, it's clear that Black boys and young Black men are finding difficulty in negotiating their way in life.

"It's crucial for people who have similar backgrounds to these boys to mentor and teach them at the critical points in their lives, particularly when they are young and impressionable at school."

The BCLF is also encouraging Black Majority Churches to continue building good relationships between their members and local schools.

The Rev Katei Kirby, CEO of the African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance and a BCLF member, said: "Many churches are already active in this way, but we want them to continue to use their Sunday schools, youth clubs and other educational initiatives to get positive messages to our Black boys and young people on the whole."

She added that she was pleased by the support the DCSF gave in the meeting to these BCLF initiatives, and added that she would welcome examples of good practice in this area to be highlighted by the Government.

The meeting was the first in a series of departmental discussions following talks between Gordon Brown, Tottenham MP David Lammy and the BCLF in October, when the Prime Minister pledged support for the group and urged them to continue helping build stronger communities. Prior to meeting Gordon Brown, BCLF held regular meetings with Government officials since its conception in 2006.

Other educational issues were discussed on Monday, including how the black community can get involved in sponsoring academies and what support is in place for parents and families to address school or social exclusion.