“Not looking to blame, shame or horrify people”: Texas educational leaders reflect on employing anti-racism in everyday school leadership

Abstract

This research explores how educational leaders in Texas navigate issues of anti-Black racism. In this Grounded Theory study, 19 participants engaged in a 90-min interview. They offer firsthand accounts of their experiences in navigating issues of anti-Black racism as well as strategies that they perceive to be necessary in interrogating and rooting out deeply entrenched anti-Blackness even in the face of salient opposition and demand to maintain the status quo. The participants also discuss relevant challenges and benefits to taking such an approach. The themes resulting from this study include: Name it and call it out, Facilitating courageous conversations with faculty, students, and community, Racial equity focused problem solving, and Challenges and benefits of anti-racist school leadership.

Keywords:

• Anti-Blackness
• BlackCrit
• anti-racism
• school leadership
• social justice leadership
• grounded theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Grace

Dr. Jennifer Grace is an assistant professor and program director in the UHCL Department of Leadership and Policy Analysis. Her research areas include the school-to-prison pipeline, race and racism in education, and equity-focused leadership.