The problems with colorblind leadership revealed: a call for race-conscious leaders

Abstract

This study addresses the complexity of colorblindness as a phenomenon and explains not only its tenacity, but also potential breaks in its hold on school leadership practice. The authors draw from an interview study of 22 school leaders in a county in the Northeastern USA to examine their perceptions and practices associating with leading schools that enroll students of color. The authors propose a multi-ring model that shows variation among three perspectives: (1) holding to colorblindness, (2) recognition with minimal capacity, and (3) cultivating race-conscious. Perspectives and variation within these three rings are explored, along with consequences for multiple resulting ‘lacks’ in capacity. Implications are offered for building upon race-conscious practice where it exists, removing barriers to implementation, and expanding capacity.

Keywords:

• School leadership
• colorblind
• race-consciousness
• social justice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Osly J. Flores

Osly J. Flores is an educational specialist in the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. His research focuses on equity, school leadership, and ethics.

Michael G. Gunzenhauser

Michael G. Gunzenhauser is associate professor of Administrative and Policy Studies at the University of Pittsburgh and associate dean for the School of Education. He studies philosophy of education in relation to social justice.