Relational Mentoring for Supporting School Principals in Social Justice Leadership

Abstract

Principals hold complex and demanding responsibilities that include leading democratic and socially just schools with a focus on equity and inclusion; however, early career principals face challenges and barriers in serving as social justice leaders. Mentoring is a long-established method of supporting and developing novice principals as they begin their careers; yet, there is limited research on how mentoring can be used to support principals in social justice leadership. Although conceptual in nature, the purpose of this chapter is to discuss challenges and barriers principals face in creating a democratic, socially just school and how mentoring can support principals in creating such cultures. We conceptualize that mentoring relationships can be used as an effective means to support principals