And My Mama, Too: The Valuable but Overlooked Work of Black Teachers' Aides

• In Event: The Evidence of Experience: Situating African American Women Educators in Oral Histories

Abstract

Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), K-12 education saw a tremendous influx of paraprofessionals. Of this growing force, a significant number were Black women in metropolitan cities. This paper provides a brief history of “teacher’s aides” who found a sense of who supported classrooms in cities. In the earlier years of ESEA, unions began developing language to ensure fair compensation for aides. While districts provided incentives that included pay and support for teacher licensure, studies showed that the programs did little to lift families out of poverty. Using primary source articles, secondary source material, and an interview with the author’s mother, this paper considers the realities of Black mom aides and their implications for contemporary education.

Author

• Robert P. Robinson, John Jay College