Baruti K Kafele

A highly regarded urban public school educator in New Jersey for over 20 years, Baruti K. Kafele has distinguished himself both as a classroom teacher and as a school principal. As an elementary school teacher in East Orange, New Jersey, he was selected as the East Orange School District and Essex County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. As a principal, he led the transformation of four different schools, including Newark Tech, which went from being a low-performing school in need of improvement to being recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best high schools in the United States.

Currently, Kafele is one of the most sought-after speakers on the topic of transforming the attitudes of at-risk student populations in North America. He is the author of six books on this topic, including two ASCD best-sellers, Closing the Attitude Gap and Motivating Black Males to Achieve in School and in Life. He is also the recipient of over 100 educational, professional, and community awards, including the National Alliance of Black School Educators Hall of Fame Award, the Milken National Educator Award, and the New Jersey Education Association Award for Excellence.

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