Situating the Role of K–12 Leadership Preparation Programs in the Larger Colonialist Project

• In Event: 45.035 - Subaltern Knowledge of Educational Leadership and Coloniality: Pathologizing People of Color and the Poor

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a postcolonial critique of K-12 leadership preparation programs. It argues that preparation programs—even those that embrace a so-called “social justice” focus—are largely homogenous in nature (in curriculum offerings, student background, faculty background, etc.), and serve only to preparer leaders to continue a colonialist agenda. Specifically, this paper will trace the ways in which educational leadership programs are hell-bent on preparing leaders to work in White middle class communities. It will trace how the knowledge base, curriculum, ISLLC Standards, faculty backgrounds, and other institutional structures, collectively prepare school leaders for a particular type of work environment—while simultaneously suggesting that such an approach is what is needed and/or necessary for communities of color. It will argue that despite recent trends to incorporate social justice discourses and standpoint theories into the profession (feminisms, critical race theory, queer theory, etc.), the field remains largely recalcitrant in how it thinks about the overall purpose of educational leadership writ large. In such an environment, it is imperative that we think beyond how to train future leaders to work in schools, but how NOT to prepare future leaders who will reify and perpetuate a colonialist agenda.

Author

• Gerardo R. Lopez, University of Utah