Black Nationalist Gets $20 Million to Promote ‘Segregation’ in Public Schools
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Sharif El-Mekki is an adviser to Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. He also supports school segregation, is a member of the Black Panther Party with family ties to Iran, and runs a nonprofit that has raked in nearly $20 million in donations from the government and nonprofits, including the Gates Foundation.
El-Mekki, a former middle and high school teacher and principal, founded the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) in 2019, which defines its vision as “a world where. . . all black students are taught by high-quality, same-race teachers,” and where “all teachers demonstrate high levels of expertise in anti-racist mindsets.” CBED argues that employing black teachers to educate black students increases educational outcomes.
Since its founding, CBED has trained thousands of teachers across the U.S. in “education activism,” urging a “commitment to liberation education from the racism inherent in America’s institutions, including our schools.” A CBED information packet titled “The Anti-Racist Guide to Teacher Retention,” developed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, defines education as “a political act” that “can upend white supremacy and a racist history of using education as an oppressive social force.”
“Every lesson plan is a political document, and every classroom interaction a political statement,” the guide reads.
El-Mekki’s nonprofit boasts more than $19.5 million in assets, boosted by funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which donated over $1.4 million between 2020 and 2021, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which gave over $1.1 million in 2022, according to public tax filings. Other backers include NBC Universal, Nike, the Bezos Family Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania School of Education, and dozens more. In 2023 alone, CBED trained more than 1,700 educators . In their most recent tax filing from 2023, El-Mekki drew a salary of $233,410 from the organization.
“He started up this organization, which on paper sounds like a really wonderful endeavor, getting more black teachers in the classroom,” said Dr. Mika Hackner, a senior research associate at the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, which drafted a report on El-Mekki’s extremist views and activism that she shared with The Free Press . “But if you scratch beneath the surface—not even beneath the surface, it’s on their website—he’s propagating some pretty dangerous and divisive ideas.”
El-Mekki, she added, is “bringing in segregation by a different and more socially and politically acceptable name.”
As a child, El-Mekki attended a Black Panther–inspired “freedom school,” where black students were taught by black teachers. His parents were members of the Black Panther Party , and on his nonprofit’s website, El-Mekki is seen sporting a Black Panther t-shirt .
When he was in middle school, his family relocated to Iran , a country he continues to praise to this day. Speaking on a podcast in April 2023, El-Mekki lauded the Iranian education system, stating that “Iran produces more engineers and doctors, scientists, than many other countries. To be that small, but there’s such an emphasis on education and understanding.” In that same interview, El-Mekki bashed America as “anti-black and anti-intellectual.”
El-Mekki’s late mother, Aisha El-Mekki, was a Muslim convert who moved her family to Iran because “she wanted her children to witness a country united in its efforts to make a change,” according to a biography published by the Philly Muslim Freedom Fund in 2020. The biography describes that she “loved” how former Ayatollah Khomeini “continuously stood up to the bully without any fear” and how “he called out the oppression of America and other superpowers.” Aisha El-Mekki met with Khomeini multiple times, according to the biography.
Sharif El-Mekki, in turn, has been praised by Nation of Islam leader and black nationalist Louis Farrakhan. In 2019, Farrakhan’s publication, The Final Call , profiled El-Mekki in a piece called “Leading with Equity and Justice in Education.” The Final Call has also quoted El-Mekki multiple times, referring to him as a “master educator.”
In just five years, Philadelphia native El-Mekki has become a major influencer in public education in Pennsylvania and beyond. In 2022, he served on the Education and Workforce Advisory Committee of Governor Josh Shapiro’s transition team , and last month, he testified in front of Congress on the need for more teachers of color . He has also penned various op-eds in national outlets, and gave a TEDTalk in January 2023 where he advocated for a “connection between activism and teaching black students superbly.” Neither El-Mekki nor Governor Shapiro’s office responded to requests for comment from The Free Press .
In addition to his big nonprofit donors, El-Mekki’s organization has secured at least $560,000 in contracts from 2022 to 2024 with the Philadelphia School District—the twentieth largest in the country—to run summer school programs that teach “a culturally responsive, affirming, and sustaining early-literacy curriculum” to “address educational inequalities and our nation’s racist history.” CBED is now expanding outside Pennsylvania, inking contracts with school districts in Fresno, California, San Antonio, Texas, and New York City .
CBED has also built an “e-learning” service used by over 900 students that is now expanding to include partnerships with over 20 universities, including University of Michigan, University of South Florida, and Vanderbilt. CBED also runs a “ Teaching Academy ” for high schoolers “based in Black pedagogy and historical frameworks,” helping “students make the connection between teaching and activism.”
El-Mekki is also part of a group that developed Pennsylvania’s “culturally relevant and sustaining education framework ,” which came into effect in 2022. The following year, multiple school districts sued to stop the implementation of the framework, with one superintendent calling it “indoctrination over education.”
Hackner, of the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, said El-Mekki’s teaching approach could be “unhealthy for a liberal democratic society, and for civil discourse” if it is adopted across the country.
“It’s instituting a really unhealthy educational framework where everything must be based upon this sort of extremist version of anti-racism,” she said. “I think it creates an inward-looking, insular world.”
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Sharif El-Mekki is an adviser to PA Gov. Josh Shapiro. He also supports school segregation, is a member of the Black Panther Party with family ties to Iran, and runs a nonprofit that has raked in nearly $20 million in donations from the government and nonprofits, including the Gates Foundation, NBC Universal, Nike, and the Bezos Family Foundation.
"segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!"
Democrats never change..
I have a feeling this article will get a lot of "so what" comments
Segregation has a lot of fans on the left. They tend to not like to discuss their advocacy for it though.
Harris was feeling the Sharef El-Mekki vibes yesterday, touting a program to give black men, and only black men, access to forgivable loans.
Today, realizing how racist and unconstitutional her racialist pandering was, she announced that her "Opportunity Agenda for Black Men" actually applies to everyone.
What a lying, unconstitutional piece of crap she is.
Oopsie,
That is a 6.6% swing in the crime rate.
What is so bad about this some white folks have practiced it for years and now that there is a smug of it on the other side it’s panic city.
“look what those black people are doing, well you know how racist that is, don’t you.”
Meanwhile Trump and Vance are going to deport Haitians, they are black ya know just because they are black no racism there.
sounds like a bunch hypocrites got their dick stepped on with all the whining.
just too funny
So mark you down for pro-segregation.
Nice try, Sean but no soup for you but you did confirm your bona fides on that subject.
You attack people for opposing racial segregation. Just own your words.
I didn’t attack you or anyone, I pointed out what a bunch of hypocrites righties are. You should be able to tell the difference, but it seems you don’t.
Cheers
I didn’t attack you or anyone, I
sounds like a bunch hypocrites got their dick stepped on with all the whining
Lol...
pointing out the hypocrites and there whining.
seems you still can’t tell the difference. If you felt it was a personal attack on you perhaps you’re trying to deflect.
I read and re-read the article and no where do I actually see any evidence that this guy is calling for any sort of segregation so neither you nor this author seem to be actually opposing segregation, you're opposing an anti-racist educational agenda and an increase in black teachers.
The closest to saying anything about segregation is Dr. Mika Hackner who claims El-Mekki is “bringing in segregation by a different and more socially and politically acceptable name.” but she fails to actually present any evidence of that.
But the article is absolutely FILLED with fearmongering and anti-Muslim anti-black rhetoric, but nowhere does it actually present any evidence of any sort of proposed segregation or harm to students, it just vilifies this black teacher and his ideas.
I support anti-racist teaching in school. I don't support segregation and there isn't any evidence presented here that proves this teacher does either.
Sharif El-Mekki envisions a world where ‘all black students are taught by same-race teachers" Ruminate on that.
I support anti-racist teaching in school. I
It's very popular among racialists.
I have, and it still doesn't add up to 'segregation'. There is no evidence presented that white students or students of other races would be excluded from these classes, it simply states that this guy was hoping to see an increase in the number of black teachers. That's a far cry from segregation.
I read and re-read the article and no where do I actually see any evidence that this guy is calling for any sort of segregation
The idea is that every child should get a quality public education in their own neighborhoods and towns without needing private schools or artificial racial makeup. It is called "Equalization" and is not racist.
This is all about economics. Poor kids in poor hoods deserve equal protection under the law including their right to a good education...
It isn't about the white part of town versus minority neighborhoods.
It is about every child getting a quality education wherever they are!
Wishing to have only black teachers for black kids is explicitly racist.
If elementary age school children in diverse minority neighborhoods learn better and achieve more from teachers who are from their culture and those who look like them then that is something we should could be considered. Except, this is not all about exclusively black, white or brown. This is all about every child getting a fighting chance at early education in disadvantaged schools...
Then I guess all the screaming about needing more diversity in schools in predominantly white neighborhoods should stop.
And there it is. . .the 'goal' has been achieved of falling back into insularity. I do not agree with "nationalism" inside the country, but let's be clear: Some conservatives have aspired and labored to make public school education a failure since President Carter opened the Department of Education. Therefore, this is just another opportunity of largely criticizing the institution.
If Mr. El Mekke is in error he should be criticized. But, I am not sure I can trust this 'complaint'. . .as it appears!
There was never a need for the Department of Education, it should have remained with the states. The public school system started failing when they stopped disciplining the students.
Well, let's start with the "disciplining the students" —thing. In the South, black educators disciplining white students (and sending them home afterwards) was not going to be practicable for obvious reasons. In the past, and maybe still in the South today, disciplining methods in use vary. (For that matter I am not sure that whites 'ever' allowed their child/ren to be hit/spanked/corrected physically by educators.
The Department of Education is needed, because our kids have to 'grow together' (live together in a society). That is facilitated by them understanding more of the 'ins' of each group in a class setting than leaving them to be 'hardened' adults who think that "others" have invisible, shiny, horns with which they cause "devilment." Also, as we can see in the states now (after the SCOTUS roll-backs), states are permitting students under their control to be taught 'suspect' histories. . . and to 'go their own way' in learning erroneous (politicized) information. This destroys UNIFORMITY in understanding. It's impractical, and will lead to a lot of future problems between kids soon to be adults (running the country more than likely).
Remained with the states? Like abortion? How ridiculous..
What do you consider disciplining the students?
Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators
House Committee on Education & the Workforce 4.71K subscribers
Note :
1. This house presentation actually begins 15-16 minutes in to the broadcast.
2. Mr. Sahrif El-Mekki is a visiting teaching official answering questions.
3. IMPORTANT : this hour plus presentation can be 'ran through' faster by seeking out Mr. El-Mekki's opening statement and statements to the house panel or by speeding up the entirety of the hearing using the the "Settings" -wheel. on the Youtube task bar.
Now then, this is a republican-chaired committee. This hearing took place on September 25, 2024. No congressional member on the panel addressed the 'bulk' of concerns brought forward by this article (to Mr. El-Mekki). I am not sure what to make of this observation .
This article uses a great many buzzwords and politically-loaded words. . . and invites negativity which I am not sure is the case (as the congressional committee did not take Mr. El-Mekki to task for any of his views in the house hearing at 7 above. I will closely watch what comes out in the comments going forward. As well, my interest is pique to this topic, as I am a strong supporter of DIVERSITY in public school and integration of public education. That said, I do understand that there is rumored to be a 'short-changing' of marginalized and minority children in education institutions due to bias and lack of 'models' of color who lend encouragement and support simply when on the education scene. (Or some such thing as that!.)
It's late. More on Thursday. As I seek to orient and collect my views on this topic.
So El-Mekki is a racist. But they hit all the catch words so that gets the backing of the like minded racists.
See 8. To be clear, I do not approve of black nationalism inside the country. However, citizens are obligated to do what works for themselves. . .legally. There will always be critics, naysayers, and "negative nancys" creating a world of despair about choices and decisions.
Mr. El-Mekki appeared before a republican-led house committee late September 2024 and this. . . aspect of his professional life. . . was not even vocalized or questioned there. I don't fully understand what that signifies. . . perhaps some conservatives can explain why it was not a topic or a question by the committee.
They might now have known. His testimony might have triggered the research.
See 8. You can just skip over the other educators there and focus only to the questions and comments given to and made by El-Mekke. I repeat just last September 25 in the House of Representatives. This soon after one would think they would have known (by committee staff work) whether Mr. El-Mekke was a problem educator.
Some times, critics pick apart stuff for their own agenda and I am skeptical that may be the case now.
Dude, for a hundred years after the Civil War black students were almost universally barred from many if not most public and private schools, colleges and universities. Whatever are the inequities and problems facing modern day American education, merely exploring possibilities is nothing consequential compared to that. While it is a theory being studied that some children might learn better in such a special environment, that is all merely academic. Absolutely nobody is even suggesting that we should return to racial segregation, and especially not to forced institutional racism. Whatever hair on fire gotcha you believe this story is, you are mistaken and really being quit silly about it!
That's not true at all.
bsolutely nobody is even suggesting that we should return to racial segregation,
Did you not read the article? He is.
See 10.
El-Mekki is. Did you even read the article?
He is advocating for the education of his people, albeit by pulling black youths out of the 'noise' and 'vexations' which plague them caused by continuous hate of inclusion by some conservatives. Own it! It's complex subject matter, but people who are steeped in the politics for and against the Department of Education can relate to this.
That said, whenever all things can be equal (they are not now) I do not support public school 'separation' of students. It can lead to tribalism and unnecessary competition between peoples in a country needing to assent UNITY and INCLUSION above any form of separation.
Well, there we have it, some conservatives won't even try to understand or be informed. It is what it is and it is on full display here everybody!
Lol. Blacks students can't learn around races because conservatives!
. It can lead to tribalism and unnecessary competition between peoples in a country needing to assent UNITY and INCLUSION above any form of separation.
Yes, which is why the pivot over the last 15 years towards tribalism on the left has been so disastrous.
Yeah. The 'usual' our hands are clean (just ignore all the political blood dripping off of them), the party of a lack of inclusion, equity, and diversity wants to pretend to care about whom is teaching whom what. Just one more in the series of vexations and accusations from the Right against their fellow Americans, in my opinion.
Some conservatives would prefer seeing liberals begging in the streets rather than be open to proper and positive change! The same some conservatives will be on another article advocating for school choice over and against public education (as they have done since Brown vs. Board of Education).
Apparenlty more informed that the liberals who support segregation and racism. Wonder if it's because they feel guilty for their history of segregation and racism.
Your comment is self-canceling.