Dr. Karen JonesJordan, Chante Lassiter2025-06-052025-06-052025-05May 2025May 2025http://hdl.handle.net/10342/14020The absence of Black male educators in the Highland County School district is a persistent issue. The insufficient representation of Black male teachers in the United States has been acknowledged as both a symptom and a cause of racial injustice. The prevalent issue of Black male teachers being underrepresented substantiates the necessity for this study. From systemic bias to low wages to the perception of the profession as a "woman’s job," there are qualitative studies that explore the reasons why there appears to be a significant pull away from teaching. Nevertheless, the body of empirical research regarding the implications for Black male teachers remaining in the educational sector is still quite limited. Students in elementary schools are frequently asked what they aspire to become in the future. Doctors, lawyers, and firemen are commonly cited as the prestigious career paths many plan to pursue. Sadly, for Black males, teaching is not a career option many opt for. Some of the factors include a lack of respect for the profession, insufficient salaries, a scarcity of mentors in the education profession, societal portrayals of Black males in sports and entertainment, and familial expectations. While these justifications were provided by participants in this research, they can be generalized to Black males within the U. S. populace, as shown in earned degrees. Black males lag behind most other ethnicity/gender groups in awarded degrees in the field of education (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2022). It is essential to recruit and retain Black males in the educational sector; shifts must occur in the perception of the profession, and practices must be deliberately aimed at actively encouraging more individuals to enter the field. Leaders and practitioners in conventional programs need to comprehend how to recruit, maintain, and graduate Black male educators to be equipped for the education industry. Initiatives like Call me Mister have taken the lead to be deliberate in their recruitment efforts. As an effective program, Call me Mister might possess qualities that other programs should aim to emulate. This research sought to attain a more profound comprehension of how exposure to the profession affects Black male 8th grade students' inclination toward pursuing a teaching career.application/pdfEnglishEducation, AdministrationDoctoral Dissertation2025-05-22