The Importance of STEM in the Black Community

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – subjects that have been a part of education for decades but are now becoming increasingly important. As this philosophy of education has grown more popular, the acronym STEM is used to describe this field of learning.

Science and math are the foundation of STEM – technology and engineering are dependent on those subjects. While technically all science classes and math classes that a student may be required to take are a part of STEM learning, the educational and societal benefits that come from the integration of all four disciplines is what makes STEM so valuable to communities and desirable as careers. Authentic STEM learning includes observing problems, comparing models, analyzing data, and compiling information. The cross-disciplinary knowledge that STEM provides enables innovative thinking and problem solving that pushes society forward.

Ten of the top 14 fastest-growing industries require some sort of STEM training. Beyond those industries, many jobs today require basic STEM literacy and the skills that this type of education builds. The demand for STEM professionals is so high that high-quality math and science education is more important than ever for students. However, some students are facing disparities that make access to this type of learning challenging.

The Digital Divide

Many black students face a technology gap, called the digital divide, that makes it difficult to access the Internet and other technology for educational purposes. A study from Deutsche Bank shows that black families experience a “racial tech gap” that puts them 10 years behind white families in levels of broadband access. The study also demonstrated that almost 4 times more black families have poor technological connectivity than whites, largely due to structural and infrastructural inequities – from the quality of internet access to the ownership of hardware and gadgets. A recent study demonstrates that these racial disparities exist regardless of income.

Similarly, at school, many students don’t have equitable access to meaningful STEM learning experiences. Access to high-level science and math classes is often out of reach for black students and in minority communities in general. With the evolving digitization and computerization of the American economy, the digital divide could result in a significant number of black students who are underprepared for the majority of competitive and high-paying jobs. Additionally, this divide could take a toll on the economy and national security of the country.