How Administrators Participate in Direct, Facilitative, Accommodating, and Resistant Bullying of LGBTQ+ Students

• In Event: Social Justice Beliefs and Actions

Abstract

If PK12 administrators want to support trans students, they need to understand their role in gender-based bulling. This qualitative study used a purposeful sample U.S. court cases and administrator interviews to explore PK-12 administrators’: 1) awareness of gender-based bullying, 2) initial intentions to address bullying, and 3) actions towards interrupting. We outline a conceptual framework with four types of administrative bullying - direct, facilitative, accommodating, and resistant - and discuss how leaders can interrupt bullying. Our findings provide a more expansive definition of administrative bullying and brings attention to the personal complicity of educational leaders in perpetuating gender-based bullying.

Authors

• Mollie McQuillan, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Cris Mayo, University of Vermont