Navigating Crises: The Impact of COVID-19 on Women of Color K-12 School Leaders

• In Event: Intersectional Perspectives and Transformative Educational Practices of Girls and Women of Color

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic presented leaders of school systems with unprecedented challenges. In particular, Women of Color (WoC) K-12 administrators faced unique hurdles as they continued to navigate the intersections of multiple forms of oppression and faced difficulties in upholding principles of educational justice (Njoku & Evans, 2022). Historically, WoC leaders have contended with institutional disparities and biases while striving for more fair and inclusive education, especially for their most disadvantaged students (Alston, 2005; Horsford, 2012). The pandemic exacerbated these inequities, prompting WoC leaders to employ innovative approaches rooted in their cultural wealth and community ties (Yosso, 2005).
This study, informed by Transformative Leadership Theory (Burns, 1978; Bass, 1985) and Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989, 1991), examines how the pandemic shaped the leadership practices of WoC K-12 school leaders committed to educational justice. It explores the specific challenges faced, strategies employed, and lessons learned by the participating administrators. The research questions guiding this investigation were:

How did the COVID-19 pandemic shape the leadership approach of WoC K-12 school leaders committed to educational justice?


What lessons did WoC administrators learn during the pandemic that can inform school leadership practices and support?

We utilized a phenomenological approach to explore participants’ lived experiences through individual interviews and participatory diagramming (Kesby, 2000; Creswell & Poth, 2018). Data for this paper come from a study conducted in 2023 where four WoC administrators (three Black, one South Asian) from Title I schools in the Southeast region of the United States shared their perspectives during interviews via Zoom. We conducted a thematic analysis of interview transcripts which revealed key findings regarding the ways in which these school leaders navigated the challenges they faced related to the pandemic.
We found that leaders dealt with multiple crises by creatively strategizing ways to care for and support their students and staff, such as ensuring access to technological resources for all their students (Collins, 2020). However, we also found that the emotional toll of these efforts on our participants was profound, compounded by personal isolation and professional stress, which they often mitigated through self-care and faith-based practices (Utsey et al., 2000). Addressing racial tensions and supporting their students required a great deal of emotional labor, which at times impacted their ability to fulfill their duties to the best of their abilities, highlighting the necessity for ongoing training on the effects of systemic oppression on school leaders (Khalifa et al., 2016). We found that adaptability, mental health support, and community building were critical aspects of their leadership experiences during COVID-19 (Grissom et al., 2021).
This study underscores the importance of educational justice and support structures within school leadership as well as demonstrates the need for culturally aware leadership training and mental health resources (Santamaría & Santamaría, 2016). By documenting the experiences of these administrators, this study contributes to broader discussions on educational leadership, highlighting the unique challenges and strengths of WoC in school leadership roles.

Authors

• Shena Sanchez, University of Alabama

• Barbara Mensah, University of Alabama