The first part of this presentation lists four basic assumptions pertaining to educating black students humanistically and discusses each in relation to its impact on the public schools' capability to educate blacks effectively and meaningfully. These assumptions are: that black students can be educated by the public schools, that schools are capable of relating humanistically to black students, that universities and colleges are capable of equipping teachers, counselors and related staff with the necessary cognitive and affective skills to educate black students humanistically, and that those holding the power of the various institutions of our society will allow anyone to humanize education for all students. This first part includes that schools as they are presently consituted can neither educate blacks effectively nor relate to them humanistically. The second part discusses some of the possible alternatives that have been used or might be used to maximise the humanistic quality of the schools' program for black students, i.e., an all black student boycott, black control of black schools, and black educators organized for change. It is emphasized that blacks and Third World people, especially, rise above rhetoric and apathy and move deliberately to establish all conditions in the educational institutions that are respective of and responsive to all learners and trainers. (Author/AM)