Caring For Black Males In Schools: An Ethnographic Exploration Of Educational Experiences Of Black Males In A Ged Program
ABSTRACT: Black males are more likely than others to attend alternative education programs and schools (McCall, 2003; Howard, 2008). Alternative high schools and programs tend to serve a disproportionate number of male students, students of color, at risk students, and economically disadvantaged students (McNulty & Roseboro, 2009; Watson, 2011). This ethnographic study focused on Black male students who have dropped out of traditional high school prior to attending an alternative GED program in a Northeastern city. The findings in this article are excerpted from the larger ethnographic study that addressed the following question: How do Black males’ perceptions of caring and educational experiences in an alternative GED program differ from experiences in their former traditional high school? The ethic of care theoretical framework was used to guide analysis. Findings indicated that students experienced more caring environments in the alternative GED program