Social Justice Leadership as Praxis

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to propose a conceptual framework for social justice leadership as praxis and to explore the implications of this framework for leadership preparation programs. Conceptual Argument: The conceptual framework for social justice leadership is grounded in a review of literature and organized around three central concepts. First, leadership for social justice is conceived as a praxis, in the Freireian sense, involving both reflection and action. Second, leadership for social justice spans several dimensions, which serve as arenas for this praxis. These dimensions include the personal, interpersonal, communal, systemic, and ecological. Third, each dimension within the framework requires the development of capacities on the part of the leader, capacities for both reflection and action. The author argues that the central purpose of leadership preparation programs is to develop these capacities in aspiring school leaders. Implications: At present, the literature on social justice leadership and most preparation programs address some of the capacities for social justice leadership well (e.g., critical consciousness about social justice issues) but others poorly or not at all (e.g., the actual skills needed for leadership praxis). The praxis framework proposed in this article facilitates a more detailed and comprehensive analysis of the capacities needed by contemporary school leaders working for social justice and therefore how preparation programs might be designed and delivered.

Equitable leadership on the ground: Converging on high-leverage practices

“…Most leaders are illprepared to enact the kind of practices identified here (see Evans, 2007Evans, , 2013Furman, 2012;Gooden & Dantley, 2012;McKenzie et al, 2008). To develop such leadership will require significant shifts in preparation programs, reshaping programs in ways that are transformative, antiracist, critical, self-reflective, focused on the sociopolitical, and rooted in practice and notions of constructionist leadership in which the work of leadership is a collective process of social construction mediated through practices and meanings (e.g., Diem & Carpenter, 2013;Evans, 2007;Furman, 2012;Gooden & Dantley, 2012;McKenzie et al, 2008;Scanlan, 2013;Shields, 2010;Wilson et al, 2013;Young & Laible, 2000).…”

“…To begin to identify high-leverage leadership practices for equity, we conducted an extensive review of the literature on social justice and equity in leadership and education (Ishimaru & Galloway, 2014). We found the following leadership practices consistently described as those most likely to effect educational change towards equity: inclusive development of an equity vision (e.g., Fullan & Hargreaves, 1991;Kose, 2009;Stone-Johnson, 2014;Theoharis, 2007), creating and sustaining an equitable culture (e.g., Louis & Wahlstrom, 2011;Scheurich & Skrla, 2003), facilitating rigorous and culturally responsive teaching (e.g., Gay, 2000;Ladson-Billings, 1994;Rigby, 2014), supervising instruction for equity (e.g., Kose, 2009;McKenzie et al, 2008;Rigby, 2014), equitably allocating resources (e.g., Brayboy et al, 2007;Byrne-Jimenez & Orr, 2013;Darling-Hammond, 2010), authentically collaborating with families and communities (e.g., Auerbach, 2007;Ishimaru, 2013;Khalifa, 2012;Moll et al, 1992;Wilson et al, 2013), modeling equitable practices (e.g., Brown, 2004;Furman, 2012;McKenzie et al, 2008), and influencing policy (e.g., Anderson, 2009;Evans, 2013;Koyama, 2014).…”

Righting past wrongs: A superintendent’s social justice leadership for dual language education along the U.S.-Mexico border

“…Clearly, the superintendency differs from the principalship, but the literature is useful for describing how any educational leader acts to change organizational and cultural values, structures, and practices that marginalize students. Social justice leadership is broadly aimed toward creating an inclusive approach to challenging dominant beliefs, co-constructing new and empowering narratives, advocating for comprehensive change, and publicly engaging in ongoing candid discussions about race, ethnicity, social class, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and other marginalization conditions (Furman, 2012;Jean-Marie, 2008;Jean-Marie, Normore, & Brooks, 2009;Theoharis, 2007). In regard to dual language education, this might include (a) dismantling segregated classes or teaching practices that isolate emergent bilinguals; (b) addressing faculty deficit perspectives; (c) engaging community and broadening curriculum beyond a traditional Euro-centric focus and eliminating language barriers to family engagement; and (d) providing teachers and principals with meaningful and sustained professional learning opportunities on dual language education.…”

“…Superintendents are placed in the midst of controversial and competing political interests, which "describe the rough-and-tumble world in which superintendents will invariably be forced to make unpopular decisions" (Björk et al, 2014, p. 458). Leadership in this context necessitates a situational awareness related to local politics and challenges coupled with a community, regional, and national awareness of marginalization (Alsbury & Whitaker, 2007;Furman, 2012;Larson & Murtadha, 2002;Ryan, 2016). This situational awareness informs and relates to advocacy and praxis.…”

“…The merging of situational awareness and advocacy contributes to a superintendent praxis for social justice. Numerous definitions of praxis emerge across education and educational leadership literature (Black & Murtadha, 2007;Dantley & Tillman, 2010;Furman, 2012). Freire (2007) uses the term "conscientização" as "learning to perceive social, political, and economic contradictions, and to take action against the oppressive elements of reality" (p. 35).…”