The Inequities of Assimilationism: Leadership Development for High School Students of Color

• In Event: 30.038 - Underprepared, Undermined, and Underrated: Policy and Schooling Practices That Inhibit Equitable Academic Success for Students of Color

Abstract

Abstract:
This paper poses the questions, “Who is perceived as a leader?” when applied to equitable education and college preparatory practices for students of color in high school. The author analyzes how current leadership development practices force high school students of color to assimilate to a “one size fits all” practice. As a result, students of color must either conform or be labeled a “bad leader”, both of which are disadvantageous, inequitable, and unjust. The author problematizes the impact of utilizing a “correct” practice of leadership and argues for a transformation of how leadership development is conceptualized as a way to increase agency, power, self-worth, and overall educational success for Black and Latino high school students.

Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to problematize current high school leadership development practices as they exclude students of color due to the lack of cultural relevance and understanding of marginalization of specific identities in society. The author purports that current leadership development practices gate-keep leadership opportunities and overall success by promoting one “correct” form of leadership. As such, critical analysis to rebuild inclusive leadership development as a pathway to equal educational opportunity in and beyond college is necessary, particularly for this population.

Theoretical Framework:
Embracing the 2017 AERA Annual Meeting Theme that interrogates the equitable functioning of the education system, the researcher employs Critical Race Theory. Highlighting racism’s permanence (Bell, 1992) and challenging dominant claims of race neutrality in education (Crenshaw, 1989), Critical Race Theory was utilized to highlight stories of this population as a means to examine racial formations and social practices that normalize inequality and oppression (Duncan, 2005).

Methods:
The author utilized data collected from 25 incoming first-year college students who engaged with a pre-orientation program for first generation college students. Data was collected during Summer 2016 at a large public Midwest institution.



Data Source:
The researcher analyzed open ended questionnaires and follow-up semi-structured interviews Gloria Ladson-Billings’ theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (1995), Crenshaw's (1989) theory of Intersectionality, Cheryl Harris’ (1993) theory of Whiteness as Property, and Gloria Anzaldua's (1987) Borderlands Theory were used as frameworks for analyzing findings.

Results:
Data suggests that high school students of color do not feel equally connected to ideas and images of leadership as they do not see themselves among practitioners and practice. Data also highlight a central tension of schools utilizing theory and praxis that establishes White students’ leadership performance as the standard for comparing all others’ success.

Scholarly Significance:
This study calls attention to the ways in which high school students of color experience leadership development and opportunities. While resources may exist, opportunities are not equitable, due to the generalized expectation that all students must assimilate to a “one size fits all” leadership practice. This ultimately impacts the level of agency and preparedness of students of color entering college, in regards to leadership development skills, further widening the gap for equitable educational experiences and opportunities.

Author

• Cecilia Elizabeth Suarez, University of Florida