Activist Principals: Leading for Social Justice in Ciudad Juárez, Baltimore, and Brazil

Autor/inn/en	DeMatthews, David Edward; Tarlau, Rebecca
Titel	Activist Principals: Leading for Social Justice in Ciudad Juárez, Baltimore, and Brazil
Quelle	In: Teachers College Record, 121 (2019) 6Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0161-4681
Schlagwörter	Principals; Activism; Social Justice; Political Issues; Leadership Role; Ethics; Board of Education Policy; Foreign Countries; Equal Education; Maryland (Baltimore); Mexico; Brazil + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Principal; Schulleiter; Aktivismus; Politischer Protest; Soziale Gerechtigkeit; Politischer Faktor; Ethik; Ausland; Mexiko; Brasilien
Abstract	Background/Context: A growing interest in how principals address issues of social justice in schools has emerged with an emphasis on critically interrogating school practices, policies, curriculum, and instructional approaches. Yet, many injustices, which prompt calls for social justice, are created outside of the school by larger socioeconomic arrangements and require greater consideration and collaboration between schools and communities. Given the interrelatedness of schools and communities, this study explores the principal's role in addressing social injustices through activism and utilizing the community's resources and emerging political opportunities to promote social justice. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how, if at all, do principals with social justice orientations engage in activism, particularly in relation to their school-community context and the networks and political opportunities that are available within and around the school. Setting: Data were collected in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Baltimore, United States, and Ceará, Brazil. Research Design: This qualitative multicase study used in-depth interviews and observations to explore the leadership actions of principals with social justice orientations. Findings: Findings revealed the specific actions taken by principals to understand the social and political context in which they work. The principals in the study utilized their understanding of context to inform their avenues for organizing activity and how they lead to strategically position their schools as resources to support communities and families. Challenges to an activist approach to leadership were also identified, including (1) tensions associated with the multifaceted nature of social justice and the demands; (2) ethical obligations of being a principal within a system and needing to adhere to district policies and priorities; and (3) the unpredictability and uncertainty of outcomes in certain school-community contexts. Conclusions/Recommendations: Major conclusions and recommendations for this study include the need to instill in principals a recognition that what happens in society impacts schools, and therefore, requires leadership to be attentive to community needs and activist-oriented. Preparing and supporting principals requires additional attention to how principals can lead for social justice with communities and in ways that are responsive to context. The potential constraints associated with being employed by a school district or connected to a social movement with predetermined priorities needs to be further explored and considered. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Teachers College, Columbia University. P.O. Box 103, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027. Tel: 212-678-3774; Fax: 212-678-6619; e-mail: tcr@tc.edu; Web site: http://www.tcrecord.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01