Resisting Social Justice in Leadership Preparation Programs: Mechanisms that Subvert

Abstract

It is well documented that the achievement gap between affluent students and economically disadvantaged students and between White students and students of color continues to widen. In addition to these achievement gaps, marginalizing practices are often imbedded in the structures of schooling. These challenges require educational leadership programs that effectively prepare school principals who can meet our most pressing school challenges and who, in particular, strive for social justice ends; however, the literature on leadership for social justice provides no clear consensus on what an entire educational leadership program oriented toward social justice would include. This study attempts to fill the gap in the literature by critically examining a curriculum and instruction leadership program that has social justice embedded into the program's core practices. Specifically we ask the following questions: What critical elements underlie programs that prepare professionals for social justice in fields outside of educational leadership? What can we learn from these programs in support of educational leadership programs whose aim is to prepare leaders for social justice? What possible resistance was faced by these programs, and what can we learn from these experiences that can inform our practice of preparing educational leaders for social justice? There were several key findings that range from how students were selected into the program to the way in which faculty worked with each other in their teaching responsibility. The paper concludes with implications and recommendations for principal-preparation programs.