Book Review: Educating African American students. And how are the children?

Gloria Swindler Boutte’s Educating African American Students. And How Are the Children? (2022) is a significant work in the discourse on culturally relevant teaching and educational equity in the United States. Boutte, a respected scholar in the field of educational equity, brings a wealth of expertise to this second edition, which incorporates new research and insights into the systemic challenges faced by African American students in US schools. Against the backdrop of shifting political landscapes and intensifying debates on racial equity, curriculum reform, and diversity in education, this book stands out as a timely and transformative resource. In the foreword, Joyce E. King, Ph.D., past president of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), underscores its mission to “mobilize and inspire P-12 teachers and teacher educators to engage in… transformative teaching on behalf of African American students” (Boutte, 2022). This call to action aligns with my commitment to fostering culturally relevant teaching practices and advancing social justice in education, making this review both a critical and personal engagement with Boutte’s work.