The Role of the Principal in Supporting Black Students and Uprooting Antiblackness

• In Event: Leveraging the Power of Identity

Abstract

This study explored how high school principals responded to the Movement for Black Lives in 2020. Utilizing qualitative methodology, this yearlong study analyzed the efforts of three principals in racially and socioeconomically diverse settings to understand the efficacy of varying responses to principals' efforts to support Black students and uproot anti-Blackness. My qualitative inquiry revealed three practical approaches for supporting Black students 1) educating staff on the nature of race and racism, 2) analyzing data outcomes through a race-conscious lens, and 3) creating listening spaces for Black students and families to share their experiences. The findings of this study have implications for school leader preparation and development.

Author

• Jaleel R. Howard, University of California - Los Angeles
  Presenting Author