Overview
Tia Kathleen Gueye, Ed.D., conducted a qualitative study for her dissertation consisting of in-depth interviews of eight African American heads of school to understand how race influences the selection of African American heads of school and the daily leadership of these heads.
Executive Summary
African American independent school students represented about 6 percent of all independent school students in 2012-2013, but the percentage of African American teachers, administrators, and school heads was significantly lower. In 2014-2015, there were only 30 African American school heads out of more than 1,500 member schools in the National Association of Independent Schools. This qualitative study explores the influence of race on the appointment and daily leadership of African American independent school heads.
Race had a considerable impact on the appointment and daily leadership of the eight African American independent school heads who participated in in-depth interviews for this study. Seven of the eight school heads interviewed worked in independent schools prior to their appointment as school heads. All seven reported that they were the only or one of a few African Americans in their schools. They had all been independent school students, teachers, and/or administrators.
Through the application of tokenism, critical race theory, and Kouzes and Posner’s leadership model, this study argues that these educational leaders thrive in predominately white, elite academic institutions because they grew up in the middle class and attended predominately white schools. Furthermore, these leaders exhibited transformational leadership that was both authentic and child-centered.
This study suggests that efforts to admit students of color, as well as to hire teachers and administrators of color, should focus on retention and inclusion in the independent school community and culture. As one of the interviewed school heads stated, “You can’t have diversity without inclusion … if you wake up every morning thinking about diversity without inclusion, you’re missing a chapter.”
Downloadable Content
- Read the full dissertation: Race in the Appointment and Daily Leadership of African American Independent School Heads (PDF, 743 KB)