Toward a Humanizing School Leadership Framework: Lessons Peri-COVID and Post–George Floyd

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session Ten
  In Roundtable Session: Leading Through Crisis (Table 3)

Abstract

COVID-19 and the renewed national recognition of racial injustice catalyzed by George Floyd’s murder have greatly impacted schools. These crises have created extensive pressures for school leaders to revamp their policies and procedures, ensure safety, and address systemic racism in schools. The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, this paper presents a qualitative study that explored changes in the principalship within the tensions of the crisis context in southeast Florida. Using an abductive analysis approach, the findings showed that principals shifted towards more humanizing leadership perceptions and practices even in the midst of dehumanizing systems. Second, this paper presents a humanizing school leadership framework informed by the study/methodology that has implications for educational leadership in crisis contexts and beyond.

Author

• Eleanor Su-Keene, Texas A&M University
  Presenting Author