COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Patricia Miller

TITLE: WHITE PRINCIPALS AS ANTI-RACIST ALLIES IN AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT: Racism and education in American schools are more complex and misunderstood now more than ever. Even as Black and Brown populations expand, their educational conditions are rapidly deteriorating due to societal racial injustices. A large majority of African American schools in the United States are overwhelmingly led by White administrators. Many of them enter school systems without ever having had experience with or knowledge of diverse cultures. These leaders find themselves facing communication and collaboration barriers with students and staff at their schools. However, there are White school leaders who have sought to understand the implications of systemic racism and cultural disconnect, thus using it as a catalyst to create positive change within schools. The critical discourse that results from this level of sociopolitical awareness can yield highly successful outcomes, as reflected in students’ academic performance and leadership practices. White school leaders at African American schools can provide leadership insight and framework for change as they strive to address social inequities in their schools while consistently embedding anti-racist practices. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of White principals by deconstructing their identities as manifested in their leadership behaviors at African American schools. The research focused on six White principals leading successful predominantly Black schools. The sample includes associate and assistant principals in elementary, middle, or high schools located in southeast Texas. Creating fertile environments for White principals to have critical conversations about race and school leadership can open doors to eliminating conscious and unconscious racist behaviors, resulting in increased achievement. This qualitative research, conducted through a critical phenomenological study, obtained personal stories and lived experiences of White leaders in thriving African American schools. Emerging themes were multifarious experiences with People of Color, construction of racial identity, cultural competency, and anti-racist White consciousness. This study can provide a blueprint for creating dynamic educational leadership development training and programs that examine and address racism in school systems, thereby promoting higher achievement among economically marginalized student populations.

Keywords: Anti-racist, social inequity, cultural competence, racial identity

Location Online:

Zoom Link: https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/96240267337?pwd=lUaMvTvAwIqf82cEnQaGBFaD9Qb3zw.1

Meeting ID: 962 4026 7337

Passcode: 179947