“The strength comes in understanding your voice and knowing that your pain and your authenticity will propel you into your purpose.”

Darryl Diggs

Welcome to Navigating STL Schools, a podcast.  

Today’s guest is Darryl Diggs, principal at Hardin Middle School in St. Charles County and cofounder of Black Male Educators of St. Louis (BMESTL). He also writes a blog, Catching Lightning, recounting his journey and experiences. In this episode, Darryl sits down with Staci to discuss Black Men in Education, the effects COVID-19 has had on St. Louis schools, and navigating education from the perspective of parents.

They discuss:

• Darryl Diggs’ personal experience in education, from a student to an educator to an administrator
• His work with Black Males in Education STL
  • Darryl only had three black male teachers in his entire K-12 and post-secondary school experience
• BME STL promotes, recruits, supports and develops the slightly more than 1 percent of black male educators currently serving in Missouri
• The black educators that inspire us
• Education in the city of St. Louis
  • Covid has really forced us to see the inequities, the “have” and “have not” districts
• We have to look at our history of oppression and acknowledge and learn about it
• Finding strength and purpose
•  Racism is nothing new for black male educators
  • This causes people to leave the profession
  • Discourages young black people from wanting to become teachers
  • This will be a thing until we change the narrative
  • Being intentional about inclusion, diversity, anti-bias
• The role of black male educators and standardized testing 
  • Tests are made for a specific reason, to norm one group of people and to isolate another group
  • What are the results and rankings actually based upon?
  • The merit of testing is reading and comprehension
  • Teaching for the test is causing teachers to skim over important in depth lessons in order to focus on reading and comprehension
  • Why don’t we measure and accentuate other talents and strengths?
• Education from the perspective of a parent
  • Do your research, do your homework about schools
  • Talk to people that you know, don’t just rely on the school district’s info
  • The best education and opportunities for our kids are worth sacrifice
• Tools to know or questions to ask when navigating the school search
  • Ask for a tour of the school
  • Ask to check out an advanced level class
  • Is that where you want to see your child?
• What can Navigate STL Schools do to prepare families for the journey and help schools grow and improve?
  • Be aware that there is this type of resource
  • Know we can always grow
  • What do parents really need to know?
  • Navigate STL Schools can answer those questions for them