Sharif El-Mekki, founder of the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) and a key advisor to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, has sparked controversy with his vision for black children’s education. El-Mekki, who was handpicked by Gov. Shapiro to serve on his transition team in 2022, has raised nearly $20 million to fund a foundation that advocates for black students to be taught exclusively by black teachers.
Yes, you read that correctly — the proposal is to reintroduce a form of racial segregation in schools, this time by design. The vision of El-Mekki’s foundation, CBED, is rooted in the belief that black students achieve better educational outcomes when they are taught by teachers who share their racial background. According to CBED, this model will improve the educational experience and success of black students by pairing them with black educators who understand their cultural and social contexts.
Founded in 2019, CBED’s mission is to “rebuild the Black teacher pipeline,” arguing that desegregation post-1954 systematically dismantled the black teaching corps nationwide. The foundation’s long-term goal is a world where “all black students are taught by high-quality, same-race teachers” and all educators adopt “anti-racist mindsets.”
While the goals sound admirable on the surface—improving educational outcomes for black students and increasing the number of black educators in America—critics argue that the approach is regressive. They contend that advocating for racial segregation in education, even if well-intentioned, reverses the hard-won progress of the Civil Rights Movement. Rather than striving for equality, critics say El-Mekki’s model is pushing for racial separation, a dangerous precedent in modern education.
The Center for Black Educator Development has already received substantial financial backing from major institutions such as NBC Universal, Nike, the Bezos Family Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which alone has contributed over $1.4 million. This generous funding has helped El-Mekki’s organization expand beyond Pennsylvania into states like California, Texas, and New York. In 2023, CBED trained over 1,700 educators in its racially segregated teaching model.
El-Mekki’s personal background offers some insight into his educational philosophy. Raised by parents who were members of the Black Panthers, El-Mekki attended a Pan-African elementary school in Pennsylvania and later moved to Iran, where his mother, a convert to Islam, sought to expose her children to life in a Muslim country. El-Mekki often speaks fondly of his time in Iran, an experience that has influenced his worldview and approach to education.
His mother, Aisha, praised Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, for standing up to Western oppression. She viewed Khomeini as a courageous leader who defied the superpowers, including the United States. This unconventional upbringing has shaped El-Mekki’s perspectives, particularly his emphasis on race-conscious education and empowerment.
However, the concept of same-race education raises serious questions about its impact on the broader goals of racial equality and integration. Many argue that the Civil Rights Movement was about breaking down barriers, not creating new ones. Desegregation in schools was one of the most significant achievements in American history, and reversing that progress, even under the guise of improving outcomes for black students, strikes many as a step backward.
Proponents of El-Mekki’s vision argue that black students benefit from having teachers who understand their cultural heritage and shared experiences. They point to studies suggesting that black students tend to perform better academically when taught by black teachers. However, opponents counter that advocating for racial homogeneity in education goes against the principle of equality and risks fostering division rather than unity.
El-Mekki’s critics also question where white teachers and students fit into his model. If the aim is to build a future where black students are taught exclusively by black educators, what role do non-black individuals play in that vision? Is this truly about promoting equality, or is it a form of racial dominance masked as educational reform?
While El-Mekki has eloquently articulated his dream for black students, he has not fully addressed the implications of his model for other races. The concern is that prioritizing one race over another in education could have unintended consequences, alienating non-black students and teachers and exacerbating racial tensions.
The Center for Black Educator Development continues to grow and gain influence, with partnerships extending across multiple states. But as the organization expands, the debate over the wisdom and ethics of its race-based education model will only intensify.
Is the answer to improving black students’ outcomes a return to segregation, or should the focus be on fostering greater inclusivity and integration in education? This is a question that policymakers, educators, and the public will need to grapple with as the conversation around race and education evolves.
