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Keeping Black Boys Out of Special Education, by Jawanza Kunjufu. Chicago, IL: African American Images, 2005, 212 pp., $15.95, paperback.
There are a disproportionate number of Black males who are being referred to special education throughout the United States. Jawanza Kunjufu argues that Black boys are placed in special education four times more frequently than Black girls. Males in general are more likely to be placed in special education than White females. White males are placed in special education two times more frequently than White females. What is the cause of this trend? Is the disproportionate referrals caused by race or gender factors? Are these inconsistent numbers linked to the low number of Black male teachers in the public school system? Keeping Black Boys Out of Special Education explores these issues and pays particular attention to building awareness and developing solutions. Kunjufu's book discusses research that supports how gender and racial prejudice lead to disproportionate placement of Black boys in special education.
Kunjufu is an educator, speaker, and activist who provides consultation for public school teachers, parents, and students. His expertise is sought by school districts and he is the co-author of the Self-Esteem Through Culture Leads to Academic Excellence (SETCLAE) multicultural curriculum (Kunjufu & Folami, 1992). He has written more than 30 books that aim particularly at strengthening the African American community. Keeping Black Boys Out of Special Education is in alignment with his goals of educating and strengthening the bonds of the African American community and family. Kunjufu's book challenges the common misperception that every child is taught and will learn the same way. He states that he arranged this book using the theoretical paradigm of his mentor, Dr. Barbara Sizemore.
The book begins by delineating and highlighting the history of special education and clarifying terminology so that the reader becomes knowledgeable of the symptoms of disorders, such as, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). He then compares and contrasts those symptoms to characteristics of the gifted and talented student. Black males are often described as hyperactive and aggressive in the classroom. Kunjufu argues that African American males are culturally more...