Troubling Unintended Harm of Heroic Discourses in Social Justice Leadership

• In Event: Bending Toward Justice: Leadership for Cultural Responsiveness and Equity

Abstract

This study aims to problematize the ways in which school leaders who seek to social justice conflate heroic leadership discourses in their practices. Using qualitative data collected from an urban school principal, this study explores 1) heroic metaphors utilized by the principal when describing social justice leadership and 2) how heroic-centered approaches contradict with achieving social justice goals in school. The findings suggest that the principal’s idea of social justice leadership relies on discourse around battles to win, being principal-driven, and seeing herself as the model for driving change. Such heroic discourses reflect the principal’s sole reliance on herself as a savior for her staff and community, which contradicted the social justice ideals that she sought to accomplish.

Authors

• Taeyeon Kim, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Courtney C. Mauldin, Syracuse University