Principals and Politics: How Principals Address Contentious Political Issues and Civic Discourse

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Fourteen
  In Roundtable Session: Contextualizing Educational Leadership and Policy: Pre-K–20 Perspectives (Table 5)

Abstract

This literature review provides a greater understanding of how political pressures impact the ability of principals to support civic discourse and deliberative democracy in schools. This has become difficult as discourse around education policy in the United States is increasingly polarized, especially regarding issues around race and sexuality. Research on civic discourse in education primarily focuses on the perceptions and experiences of teachers, often leaving the views of administrators unexamined or unanalyzed. This review addresses that gap by synthesizing existing scholarship on the societal, organizational, and individual factors that shape how principals address civic discourse. We outline key societal and political challenges principals face and conclude with recommendations for needed research examining parent and administrator pushback, administrative turnover, and autonomy.

Authors

• Tyler Earl Wicks, University of Nevada - Reno
  Presenting Author

• Cristina L. Lash, University of Nevada - Reno
  Presenting Author