WITH US, SO WE COULD SHARE THE
STORY OF THESE INSPIRATIONAL
EDUCATORS.
>> Reporter: WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY
IN PORTLAND, ORGAN,REGONOREGON,
LIKE ANY OTHER SCHOOL, BRICK
BUILDING FLANKED BY SPORTS
FIELDS, BUT INSIDE, SOMETHING
DIFFERENT IS HAPPENING.
>> YOU REFER TO YOURSELVES AS
UNICORNS.
WHY IS THAT?
>> I DON’T THINK YOU’LL FIND TWO
BLACK TEACHERS IN FIRST GRADE IN
THE STATE OF OREGON.
>> Reporter: THEY KNOW THEY ARE
A RARE BREED ACROSS AMERICA.
JUST 2% OF PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS
ARE BLACK MEN.
BUT AT WOODLAWN, IT IS 18%.
WHY DO YOU BOTH THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE BLACK MEN IN
THE CLASSROOM?
>> I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT, AGAIN,
SOMETIMES JUST THAT CONNECTION
OF HAVING SOMEONE THAT LOOKS
LIKE YOU, IT GIVES THESE KIDS
THE CHANCE TO COME TO ME AND
SPEAK TO ME ABOUT MAYBE THINGS
THEY’LL VERY TROUBLE WITH.
>> FOR A WHITE KID, IT IS ALSO
IMPORTANT.
WHEN A WHITE KID SEES A BLACK
KID AS THEIR TEACHER, WE CAN LET
THEM KNOW, WE ARE MORE THAN
ACTORS AND ENTERTAINERS.
WE’RE PEOPLE OF SUBSTANCE.
>> Reporter: WOODLAWN, A
TRADITIONALLY BLACK
NEIGHBORHOOD, HAS BEEN
GENTRIFIED IN RECENT YEARS,
ALTERING THE MAKEUP OF HOME
ROOM.
>> FIVE.
>> Reporter: NO COINCIDENCE THAT
45% OF THE TEACHERS HERE ARE
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
MANY ARE GRADUATES OF THE
PORTLAND TEACHERS PROGRAM, WHICH
OFFERED FULL TUITION WAIVERS AND
TRAINING FOR EDUCATION STUDENTS
IN AN EFFORT TO PUT DIVERSITY AT
THE HEAD OF THE CLASS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE
ANTHONY ICE MENTOR
ANTHONY’S MENTOR.
>> YES.
>> Reporter: NOW, YOU WORK
TOGETHER, BOTH TEACHING FIRST
GRADE.
>> I’M HONORED TO HAVE HIM AS MY
COLLEAGUE.
>> HE WAS A ROLE MODEL TO ME,
THOUGH I’M FIVE YEARS OLDER THAN
HIM.
YOU KNOW, HE’S STILL A ROLE
MODEL TO ME BECAUSE HE GAVE ME
THE COURAGE TO DO THE THINGS I
DO.
>> OUR EXISTENCE IS OUR OWN!
>> Reporter: IN RECENT MONTHS,
PORTLAND HAS SEEN WIDESPREAD
PROTESTS FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF
GEORGE FLOYD, BREANNAONNA TAYLOR
AND OTHERS.
BOTH OF YOU SPENT SOME TIME
EARLIER THIS YEAR TEACHING YOUR
STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY, WITH
REGARDS TO THE PROTESTS.
WHY?
>> IT’S WHAT’S GOING ON.
IF LIFE -- AND I’M NOT ONE TO
SUGAR COAT ANYTHING.
IT HELPS OUR NEXT GENERATION
LEARN HOW TO ENCOUNTER THESE
SITUATIONS, AS WELL.
IF WE DON’T TEACH THEM THE
HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, THEN
WE’RE BOUND TO REPEAT IT.
>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT
TEACHING A FIRST GRADER ABOUT
SOME OF WHAT WE’RE SEEING PLAY
OUT?
>> IT REALLY JUST STARTS WITH
TRYING TO MAKE IT RELATABLE TO
THEM.
ONE OF OUR KEY THINGS WE
TYPICALLY DO IN THE FIRST GRADE
IS TALK ABOUT RUDY BRIDGES, WHO
WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITTLE GIRLS TO
GO TO AN ALL WHITE SCHOOL.
IRONICALLY, SHE WAS IN THE FIRST
GRADE.
>> THE BEAUTY ABOUT CHILDREN,
ESPECIALLY PRIMARY CHILDREN,
THEY’RE NOT BORN WITH RACIST
TENANTS AND IDEAS.
>> Reporter: GREEN MAY BE 11
YEARS OLD NOW AND IN SIXTH
GRADE, BUT SHE REMEMBERS THE
ADVICE SHE GOT FROM MR. CLEGG.
>> DON’T THINK ABOUT THE
NEGATIVE STUFF IF YOU’RE IN A
NEGATIVE SITUATION.
THINK ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS,
WHICH IS SOMETHING I ALWAYS KEPT
WITH ME.
I WAS LIKE, YEAH, LET’S DO THAT.
>> Reporter: HE WAS PREPARING
YOU FOR LIFE.
>> YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.
>> Reporter: FOR CLEGG AND
LOWRY, THAT VALIDATES THEIR
CALL.
>> GREATNESS IS THE IMPACT OF
THE SERVICE THAT YOU LEAVE.
I’M NOT IN THIS FOR, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE SAYING, "MR. CLEGG IS THE
BEST TEACHER."
I WANT TO SEE MY CHILDREN GROW
UP AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
I WANT THEM TO WANT IT FOR
THEMSELVES AND TO UNDERSTAND WHY
THAT’S IMPORTANT.
UNDERSTAND WHY EDUCATION IS
GOING TO BE THE KEY TO THEIR
SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.
>> WOW, WHAT A GOOD STORY.
>> THANK YOU.
MR. CLEGG AND MR. LOWRY THERE,
YOU KNEW THIS, MY MOM WAS A
TEACHER 35 YEARS, MOTHER-IN-LAW
WAS A TEACHER.
COME FROM A LONG LINE OF
EDUCATORS.
ANYONE WHO HAS EVER TAUGHT KNOWS
IT’S NOT A JOB.
IT’S A CALLING.
>> YEAH.
>> LIKE, IT’S NOT A 9:00 TO 5:00
JOB.
THESE TWO HAVE BEEN CALLED.
>> SO GREAT.
>> HOW REWARDING, TO THEN SEE
FORMER STUDENTS COME BACK AND
SAY HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT THEY
HAD.
>> YOU DON’T -- YEAH, AND YOU
DON’T SEE A LOT OF BROWN MALE
TEACHERS.
BLACK MEN, HOW MANY, IN MY
ENTIRE SCHOOL CAREER, THROUGH
12th GRADE, I THINK I HAD ONE.
>> SAME HERE.
I REMEMBER MR. JONES, MY MATH
TEACHER IN HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT’S IT.
>> THE PROGRAM IN PORTLAND
THAT’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS,
IT’S IN TROUBLE.
BUDGET CUTS LAST YEAR.
THERE IS A MOVEMENT AFOOT TO TRY
TO SAVE THE PROGRAM SO THEY CAN
CONTINUE TO KEEP DIVERSE THE I
AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS THERE.