Karter Richardson is a superman. In fact his super powers are pretty cool.
As a teacher, Mr. Richardson has a major impact on his students. Especially the boys. As a Black male educator in elementary school, he’s many of his students first role model.
Teacher by day, father by night; Black men rock too!
The elementary school grades our scholars most impressionable years and it’s important for them to have a dynamic teacher. The true school turnaround work from my experience begins at the level where our scholars meet Mr. Karter. We need more Black males teaching in PreK and elementary classrooms.
Through his experience, Mr. Richardson has seen his presence in the classroom show how much attention and care kids really need and seek from father like figures.
Boys having a dad in their life is vitally important.
This doesn’t neglect or take away from the important role that single moms or mothers play in the lives of boys. Too often, single dads are overlooked or not even considered in the equation at school.
“We have made it an expectation that fathers are absent. Moreover, that Black fathers are deadbeats!”
Mr. Richardson as a father raising a Black son believes that there are some aspects a boy needs to see in a man to help him grown into manhood.
He embeds certain lessons into raising his son that only he can provide as a man. Certain conversations and life lessons can only be taught by men that couldn’t be expressed or conveyed in the same way than by a woman.
So to all the single dads out there, know that you are not alone. There are other supermen like Mr. Richardson who exist. Find them, connect them and be a support system for each other.
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.