Social Justice and Leadership Preparation Programs: The Call for Developing a Transformative Curriculum Centered on Critical Discourse

• In Event: Roundtable Session 32
  In Roundtable Session: Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Social Justice Issues in Higher Education and Leadership Preparation Programs

Abstract

During an era when the federal government has become more involved in the shaping of policies targeting low performing public schools, an increased focus has been placed upon how educational leadership preparation programs develop leaders to succeed in diverse settings. While the field of leadership preparation has evolved to better address issues of social justice, it has provided little information as to how professors facilitate social justice oriented conversations within their classrooms, particularly conversations focused specifically on race related issues. In this paper, we examine five critical concepts we believe must be explored within preparation programs seeking to develop successful leaders for diverse settings and offer suggestions for the development of a transformative curriculum for leadership preparation programs.

Authors

• Sarah Diem, University of Missouri

• Bradley W. Carpenter, University of Louisville