Effective Leadership is Not Enough: Critical Approaches to Closing the Racial Discipline Gap. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: DeMatthews, David
• Is Part Of: Clearing house. Volume 89:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 7
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Educational leadership -- critical race theory -- school-to-prison pipeline -- student discipline; Education -- Periodicals; Junior high schools -- Periodicals; Education, Secondary -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 373.05
• DOI: 10.1080/00098655.2015.1121120
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-8655

Abstract

Abstract: A review of student discipline and suspension data disaggregated by race highlights how school leader biases influence disciplinary decisions. Yet, the majority of principal preparation programs have failed to develop structures and norms that result in critical conversations pertaining to race and racial inequities. This article is written from a stance that school leaders must move away from traditional leadership approaches and toward a social justice leadership orientation that creates critical spaces and discourses, empowers communities, and enables the adoption of social justice practices in all aspects of the school. After reviewing literature on critical race theory and social justice leadership, three leadership action areas are recommended to support principals and assistant principals in closing the racial discipline gap.