Journal of a Black Teacher

What was the cost of Nerd stereotypes for Black Boys in the United States? ( Photo : Google Search, educational purposes - Fair Use.)  By Don Allen - Journal Of A Black Teacher (2025) In the 1990s, Family Matters, a Black sitcom about the bumbling, brilliant, and painfully awkward Steven Q. Urkel, was viewed by millions of American families. Urkel was TV's most recognizable face, known for his squeaky voice, oversized glasses, high-water pants, and irrepressible fixation on science and Laura Winslow. Yet underneath the laughs and the catchphrase "Did I do that?" There is a greater cultural implication: Urkel inadvertently caused science to be uncool among a generation of Black males. Urkel was not just a character—he was an ambassador of the "Black nerd," and not a likable one. He was solitary, pesky, emasculated, and continuously rejected. He was seldom cool, never heroic, and most frequently the punchline. During a time when Black male heroes on TV were few, U...

By Don Allen, M. A. Ed./MAT “Autoethnography is a qualitative method— it offers nuanced, complex, and specific knowledge about particular lives, experiences, and relationships rather than general information about large groups of people” (Adams et al., 2014, p. 21).   Hennepin County foster care and adoption     Last week was quite difficult for our school community. We faced the heart-wrenching situation of a seventh grader being separated from his family and placed in foster care. Despite the challenges he faced, this student demonstrated incredible talent as an artist and a deep passion for science, taking great care of the fish in our three tanks. He has always been a model student at our performing arts and academic school, which serves the Black community. I was informed about the events that happened during our morning cabinet meeting. The leadership team, too, was devastated hearing the news about one of our scholars. A report by Kate Miller, Root cause ...