Leadership Responsibility for All: How Do Principals Revitalize Disadvantaged Schools in the Changing Chinese Sociopolitical Context

• In Event: Leveraging Leadership for School Change

Abstract

This paper explores principals’ leadership responsibility for all in response to the threats to social justice and equality for diverse student learning in disadvantaged schools in the changing socio-political conditions. The key question is: What principal leadership can be identified in the practices of addressing the threats in the schools? As a qualitative cross-case study of three principals’ leadership practices in the schools, the findings show a pattern of leadership responsibility for all emerged in connection to the framework of democratic leadership in education. This paper contributes to an account of principal leadership practice for diverse student population in disadvantaged schools. This reflects the disconnection of changing socio-political conditions with the characteristics of democratic leadership in a specific context.

Authors

• Elson S.Y. Szeto, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Kuen Fung Kenneth Sin, The Education University of Hong Kong