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Social Support for African American Boys

January 12, 2009

Low educational achievement contributes to and perpetuates socioeconomic, health, and other inequalities for African Americans across the life course. This problem is particularly acute for African American males. From interviews with African American boys in Grades 4-6, Jeffrey Lewis and colleagues found that many boys reported instrumental, informational, and emotional support from a wide range of individuals within their support networks. Lewis recommends the following broad as the basis for improving school-related support for African American boys: View African American students and their families as resource-rich partners in support of the education of African American boys; Develop a broader concept of family support that goes beyond “parent involvement” to identify ways for schools to partner with these support systems; and find ways to engage the boys’ peer relationships that provide school-related support.