Leading Through Adversity: How the Social Identities of Race and Gender and the Conception of Transformative Leadership Style Impacts the Leadership Experiences of African American Female Elementary Principals in the Public School Setting
Open AccessAbstract of the DissertationLeading Through Adversity: How the Social Identities of Race, Gender and Conception of Transformative Leadership Style Shape the Experiences of African American Female Elementary Principals in Public SchoolsA persistent challenge in schools today exists around the academic achievement gap and the academic opportunity gap between students of color and their White and Asian counterparts. There is evidence to suggest that school leaders of color who are also social justice leaders can have an impact on school improvement and closing the achievement gap. The purpose of this study was to investigate how, if at all, social identity factors and the purposeful utilization of equitable leadership practices have shaped the experiences of African American female elementary principals in their respective public schools from their personal perspectives and voices. This study utilized the intersecting conceptual frameworks of critical race theory, Black feminist theory, and transformative leadership theory. There are few studies in the research literature from the perspective and personal lenses of African American female elementary principals who are leading in ways that are consistent with those of a transformative leader. This qualitative research design study involved interviews of 14 elementary African American female principals serving as school leaders in a school district in the Eastern United States region. The study focused on understanding how race, gender, and the principals’ individual conception of transformative leadership shaped their leadership experiences as they contextualize best practices to meet the needs of their respective student populations. Analysis of the interview data suggest that African American female elementary principals are significantly impacted by issues of race, gender, and their leadership as transformative or equitable leaders of social justice. Other related findings, such as the impact of trust issues, came through from the analysis of the data. Implications for policy includes recommendations for school systems to initiate recruitment of more teachers and leaders of color to serve in public schools. Future research could possibly explore other studies of female or male leaders of color such as Latina and Latino principals given the ever-increasing population of Latinx students in public schools. Several implications are outlined for practice, including purposeful professional learning communities for principals to have collegial support, professional training, coaching, and/or mentoring.
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