"Black men deserve to grow old"

 I wanted to share this meme recently and ask how many of you are contributing to this for the men in your lives. Whether we're talking significant others, fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, nephews, uncles, brothers, cousins, or even friends.

This meme emerged in the outrage over the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, TENN. Well I overstated that, he was badly beaten by police officers and no one is characterizing this as a case of excessive force. The officers involved have been fired and charged with second degree murder. Sadly three days after being stopped & brutally beaten by Memphis Police in January Mr. Nichols died.

Nichols from some of what I read had crohn's disease and wasn't in robust health. He was over six feet tall but has been described as underweight compared to some of the officers involved with this incident. He leaves behind a son, who is now without a father. He was known as a free spirit who was into landscapes, paid no attention to stereotypes as a Black male, and he liked to skateboard. This is the kind of man you want to see grow old. It was sad to see him beaten and pepper sprayed by these officers call out for his mother.

To further interpret this meme, I had focused on say if the women who shared this meme have Black boyfriends or husbands. How would they contribute to the Black man in their lives to growing old? Is this something they believe beyond the current public outrages?

I suppose these meme, has a much deeper meaning to me. This shouldn't come out for the latest major story, especially when it comes to a case of police brutality. This should be an everyday thing.

Yes, Black men deserve to grow old. They deserve to be happy, treated with respect, and be surrounded by people who love them. That's my answer.

Business Insider: Here are all the ways being a public-school teacher has changed in the last 50 years

When I had graduated from Morehouse College in 2009 at least in the year or so after graduating I had considered going into education. Perhaps when my job situation improved go back to school and get a master's in teaching (and I also had someone who I barely know get in my ear and decide I couldn't handle). Either way it was something that was under consideration years ago.

So I find this article today about how being a public school teacher has changed. I wish I knew some current teachers who can speak on this article.

Chalkboards are now smart boards. Students are using standing desks and stability balls instead of chairs.

With changes in education, K-12 teachers must adapt to new initiatives and reforms.

Some changes to education, such as the increased use of technology, have made teachers' lives easier. But decreased investment in public school has left teachers with stagnant wages and limited resources, leading to waves of protests and strikes across the country.

Here is a look at all the ways being a teacher has changed over the last 50 years.

This part intrigues me, and have heard about this over the years and it begs the question. One change in the past 50 years:

The late 1970s is also when the number of female teachers began to increase. Women made up two in three teachers as of 1981. Today, they make up 76% of the teacher population, which has grown from 2.5 million to about 4.5 million since the '80s.

Where are the men? We need them in the classroom also. Especially for those boys who have no strong male influence in their life.

RELATED: Where are the Black male teachers?

h/t Newsalert 

Where are the Black male teachers?

Black men - I suppose this could be directed at myself - where are you? We need you in our classrooms for the boys. We need you to help them with their academic success.

UIC wants to help train and recruit Black male teachers. Perhaps it's a program who's time has come.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is investing about $1 million to recruit and train male elementary education majors of color to help spur black boys' academic success.

"This is not just becoming a teacher. This is becoming a leader."https://t.co/HlwjAP0XYw pic.twitter.com/n2D1sK8Deb

— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) July 25, 2018

h/t Newsalert

BTW, I started this blog as something of an education blog named blatantly for one my old elementary schools. While the emphasis seems to have changed over the years it's still a subject of interest as I do believe a good education will lift people in more ways than one. I'm not just talking about getting a college degree, I'm simply talking about going thru K-12 and graduating with a high school diploma.

If I may share this video, it may show why I would support such a program. It makes me wonder if these are issues faced by many boys in the current education system. [VIDEO]