Understanding Black Father Involvement in Education in the Context of Systemic Inequities

Background & Purpose: It has been well documented that fathers uniquely contribute to their children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. A smaller, yet growing, body of research underscores the importance of fathers in children’s academic success. And more studies that highlight a father-centric perspective can enhance our understanding of the ways in which father involvement in academic development is shaped. Drawing from the Resource Theory of Fathering), this qualitative study explores the contextual, personal, and interpersonal resources that impact Black fathers’ involvement in early childhood education activities. Specifically, we explored father involvement in the context of systemic inequities and precarious interactions with systems that play a role in shaping the welfare of children (i.e., child welfare system and education system).

Methods: To explore perceptions of father involvement in their children’s education, four focus groups were conducted with fathers participating in Thriving Fathers & Families, a community-based fatherhood program (N= 23) designed to strengthen fathers’ relationships with their children, families, and communities. We purposively selected fathers representing various levels of program participation (i.e., 1 month – 84 months). Focus group participants were between the ages of 29 and 68, with a mean age of 43 (SD= 11.4). Most participants (69%) were high school graduates or attended college/trade/technical school and reported income ranging from $0 to $109,000. Participants had, on average, 2 children (SD= 1.3). Focus groups were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes.

Results: Three major themes emerged from the qualitative data. First, fathers described the value they placed on education as a means of personal development and survival and the ways they assumed personal responsibility for ensuring their child’s academic success. Fathers also expressed being motivated to provide their children with a form of support they desired from their own parents, but often never received. Next, fathers provided examples of their involvement in their children’s education, some of which included helping with homework, transportation, and overcoming systemic inequities (i.e., lack of access to quality education) by providing financial support. In addition to school-based learning, fathers emphasized the importance of real-world knowledge. For example, one father discussed using grocery shopping as an opportunity to reinforce math skills and teach important life lessons that may not be taught in school. Despite being highly motivated to be involved in their children’s education, fathers also described several systemic barriers they believed restricted their involvement (e.g., criminal histories, child custody disputes, and school policies), and discussed the various concessions they made to overcome these barriers.

Conclusions & Implications: Study findings highlight the unique ways in which Black fathers involve themselves in the education of their children, which is seldom explored in the existing literature. Findings also reveal the role of systemic barriers in shaping Black fathers’ educational involvement, the impact of access to resources on mitigating such barriers, and the resilience displayed in overcoming challenges. Educators, researchers, and policymakers should draw upon the strengths of Black fathers, while also taking into consideration the impact of system policies and practices on their involvement.