Our brothers’ keeper: the leadership practices of African-American male principals and their work with African-American male students in rural schools

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
NeShawn Cox Dawson (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Ulrich Reitzug

Abstract: The primary purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the ways in which African-American male principals support African-American male students in rural schools. Secondly, the study explores how experiences during their developmental years influenced these supportive leadership practices of the African-American male principals. Extensive research exists on the successes and failures of African-American males; however, this research has been primarily conducted in urban settings. Rural schools and principals face similar challenges and obstacles of deficit-thinking, inadequate resources, and poor performance in educating African-American males, but may also face other conditions unique to the rural context. As such, this qualitative study examines the relationships and leadership practices of eight, rural African-American male principals as they support African-American male students at their respective schools. The findings revealed African-American principals support African-American males by encouraging positive relationships, promoting academic and community supports, and being cognizant of exclusionary disciplinary practices. Critical race theory (CRT) is used as a theoretical framework to explore how race influences negative perceptions about many African-American principals, as they face trials and tribulations themselves as educational leaders—and in many cases, are subjected to the same racism as their African-American male students.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2018
Keywords
African-American males, African-American principals, Critical Race Theory, Equity, Leadership, Rural schools
Subjects
African American school principals
African American students
School supervision, Rural
Educational leadership
Academic achievement

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