LEWISTON (NEWS CENTER Maine) - Imagine going to school in your formative years and not seeing a single teacher who looks like you.
That’s something the Lewiston School Department says is a challenge.
With an ever-growing diverse student body, the city is now finding ways to make sure its staff is a proper reflection.
“The first thing I said to my husband was ‘Where all the black people?’” Barbara Benjamin-McManus remembers from 12 years ago. Moving to Maine from Dominica and New York was a culture shock for the teacher.
She was the only black teacher at Lewiston Middle School until last year – and for that reason, she says students of color gravitated to her.
About 40 percent of the student body at Lewiston Middle School is made up of students of color. By contrast, there are only two teachers of color. The city is now looking for a way to bridge that gap.
“One of our goals in our district is to have our educator population be a little more reflective of the students before them,” explained Superintendent Bill Webster.
That’s why the city is starting the Educator Diversity Initiative.
It’s a pilot program between Lewiston Schools and University of Southern Maine. Prospective teachers can get an introductory education class and a summer internship in the school system, at no cost.
“We want a diverse staff but we want a qualified diverse staff,” said McManus. She’s thrilled about the possibility of a more diverse teacher staff – and calls the program a “step in the right direction.”
Students agree. “The more diversity there is, the more we learn about other cultures,” said eighth grader Sihan Bahar. “Even if you’re not the same color, you can [learn to] gravitate towards someone based on common interests,” added Makenzie Anderson.
With a more diverse teacher population, Superintendent Bill Webster says students will “do better academically” and that they are “going to be more comfortable with who they are and how they fit into the school culture.”
Administrators hope the pilot program will foster a comfortable environment for all students – in the classroom, the cafeteria, and in the community. “If you have a garden of all roses or all tulips, it’s never as good as a garden that is a whole mix of different flowers,” said McManus.
Classes in the new program start on July 6th.
The city is particularly targeting its substitute teacher population, of which about 20 percent is teachers of color. “Some of them come to us from other countries already credentialed there, but they are not yet receiving their certification here,” explained Webster. He hopes this program will be a gateway for many of those substitutes to matriculate to USM.