Educational Leadership at the Intersection of Race and Poverty in American Schools: Countering Racial Inequality

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 7:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Toward an Abolitionist Leadership Theory: Concepts and Cases of Anti-Racist Educational Leadership

Abstract

This paper interrogates the complex intersection of race and poverty in U.S. public schools and the implications for educational leaders and teachers. It examines how systemic racism and economic inequality continue to shape the educational experiences of marginalized students and challenges the capacity of leadership preparation programs to adequately address these entrenched disparities. The central aim is to reframe leadership preparation as a moral and practical imperative for confronting these systemic forces. The analysis is grounded in critical race theory, historical perspectives on desegregation and equality, and equity-oriented leadership. These frameworks help uncover how structural inequalities are reproduced in educational contexts and highlight the need for leaders equipped with the critical consciousness and practical tools to address them. The concept of “equity as economic imperative” is used to link demographic shifts with the urgency for system-wide change. Through historical analysis, policy critique, and interpretive synthesis of educational literature, the paper analyzes enduring patterns of segregation, underfunding, and racial stratification in public schooling. It also considers contemporary leadership challenges within preparation programs and the field. The analysis draws from Supreme Court decisions (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education, 1954), historical and legal commentaries (Bickel, 1978), equity-focused advocacy reports (Leadership Conference Fund, 2013), and scholarly research on race and teacher preparation (Milner & Laughter, 2015). These sources collectively inform a portrait of racialized poverty and its implications for educational equity. Conclusions support that educational leaders face a persistent, systemic crisis at the intersection of race and poverty—a reality compounded by the inadequate preparation they receive in leadership programs. Schools serving high-poverty, high-minority communities are doubly disadvantaged by resource inequities, staff turnover, and lowered expectations. Leadership training must explicitly address these realities and equip leaders with skills to challenge racialized disparities in opportunity and outcome.

Author

• Patrick M. Jenlink, Stephen F. Austin State University