Social Justice Leadership Online Poster by Angie Houck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if Core beliefs, underlying assumptions, and personal thoughts related to leadership for social justice: Angie Houck - EOL 568: Diversity, Leadership, & Policy - Spring 2019 en-us 2019-03-31 01:41:45 UTC 2025-11-02 20:38:12 UTC hello@padlet.com The high school students in this video give me great hope. Imagine if every school district taught racial literacy? angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346841352  ]]> 2019-03-31 01:46:48 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346841352 PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERSHIP angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346841375 My definition of leadership for social justice is a process by which an individual and/or community advocates for and implements transformative, intentional, research-based strategies that are inclusive, hope-focused, and collaborative in order to disrupt the status quo and effect change for marginalized groups of people.]]> 2019-03-31 01:47:18 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346841375 Dr. Cornel West reminds us of the very important distinction between words and action and what it really means to be a person of integrity in this timeless quote. angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346940930 2019-03-31 20:08:20 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346940930 1. TRANSFORMATIVE, INTENTIONAL, RESEARCH-BASED angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346942879 The first part of my definition of leadership for social justice incorporates transformative, intentional, research-based strategies. The role of leadership in issues of social justice must be transformative rather than only transactional or transformational in order to maximize chances for successful implementation of strategies and obtaining desired, just outcomes for social change. 

Research indicates that transformational leadership in schools has a very strong and direct effect on teaching and learning (Peters, 2010).  The resulting direct and indirect influence transformational leadership has on worker motivation, satisfaction, and organizational commitment are essential to helping  build the type of supportive school environment needed for effective social justice leadership and for managing an effective learning community.  Transformative leadership extends this role with a distinct focus on social change and morally just leadership.  As Shields notes,
'...transformative educational leaders must be able to work from within dominant social formations to exercise effective oppositional power, to resist courageously, and to be activists and voices for change and transformation" (2010, p. 570).

The role of social justice leadership must also be intentional and research-based.  Characteristics of this role include expending a significant amount of time and energy to be visionary, think long term, and to attempt to create systems that will survive the leader (Gardner, 2000).  This requires intentionality of purpose and goals despite frequently changing conditions and in opposition to cultural political rhetoric and "common sense" thinking.  Leaders of social justice must utilize research-based, inclusive approaches and informed practices that counter the hegemonic curriculum reflective of the dominant groups' values about knowledge (Kelsey, Campuzano, & Lopez, 2015).]]> 2019-03-31 20:19:58 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346942879 2. INCLUSIVE, HOPE-FOCUSED, COLLABORATIVE angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346943038 In my definition, social justice leadership must also be hope-focused and collaborative in order to encourage and support critical inquiry and reflect the needs of all, not just the dominant group.  If social justice leadership does not nurture the inquiry and reflective thinking of all those in the learning community, how can it be successful? In their list of five special characteristics of various definitions of social justice leadership, Dantley & Tillman note a "moral obligation to articulate a counterhegemonic vision or narrative of hope regarding education” (2010, p. 23). 

Indeed, hope, along with a community of collaboration, is a core part of transformative leadership. In her definition, Shields notes, "Transformative leadership begins with questions of justice and democracy; it critiques inequitable practices and offers the promise not only of greater individual achievement but of a better life lived in common with others" (2010, p. 559).  In order to achieve this, collaboration with community stakeholders, especially parents, is critical.  This means working to engage parents of all backgrounds and groups and actively working to redefine what parent engagement really means.  Too often it is narrowly defined with actions valued only by the dominant group (Cooper, 2010). 

In order to instill true community membership, social justice leadership must be inclusive of all and reflective of collaborative efforts.  The journey for social justice is not an easy one, and the trademark battle fatigue can be exhausting.  Hope is the fuel to carry on and continue the fight for all.]]> 2019-03-31 20:21:16 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346943038 3. DISRUPT THE STATUS QUO angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346943105 One major role of leadership in issues of social justice in my definition is to disrupt the status quo.  It is through challenging the system reflecting only the dominant values that space can be made for morally just social change to occur.

For example, in one case study, Shields describes the factors in successful leadership efforts by noting, "...careful and consistent deconstruction of old knowledge frameworks that perpetuated deficit thinking and inequity and their replacement with new frameworks of inclusion and equity that undergirded the continuous improvement mentality" (Shields, 2010, pp. 576-577).  Current frameworks of knowledge must be broken down so that equitable, inclusive frameworks can be implemented. Without change, the system will continue to foster prejudice, discrimination, and bias that is detrimental to having morally just learning environments.  

]]> 2019-03-31 20:21:49 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346943105 In this video by author Robin DiAngelo, specific examples for disrupting the way white people think about race are shared. angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346967868 2019-03-31 23:04:47 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346967868 References angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346969422 Cooper, C.W. (2010). Educational leaders as cultural workers: Engaging families and school communities through transformative leadership. In S.D. Horsford (Ed.), New Perspectives in Educational Leadership: Exploring Social, Political, and Community Contexts and Meaning (pp. 173-195). New York, NY: Peter Lang.
 
Dantley, M, E. & Tillman, L, C. (2010). Social justice and moral transformative leadership. In C. Marshall & M. Oliva (Eds.), Leadership for Social Justice: Making Revolution in Education (2nd ed.) (pp. 19-34). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. 
 
 
Gardner, J. W. (2000). The nature of leadership. In M. Fullan (Ed.), The Jossey-Bass reader on educational leadership (pp. 3-12). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
 
 
Kelsey, I. Campuzano, C., & Lopez, F. (2015). Inclusive leadership and English learners. In G. Theoharis & M. Scanlan (Eds.), Leadership for increasingly diverse Schools (pp.59-81). New York, NY: Routledge.
 
 
Peters, A.L. (2010). Rethinking transformational leadership in schools: The influence of people, place, and process on leadership practice. In S.D. Horsford (Ed.), New Perspectives in Educational Leadership: Exploring Social, Political, and Community Contexts and Meaning (pp. 29-46). New York, NY: Peter Lang.  
 
 
Shields, C.M. (2010). Transformative leadership: Working for equity in diverse contexts. Educational Administration Quarterly, 46, 558-589.
]]> 2019-03-31 23:16:26 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346969422 This video by Dr. Meghan Burke of Illinois Wesleyan University offers a research based explanation of how disregarding race does not lead to racial equality. angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346972915 2019-03-31 23:43:49 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346972915 angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346974207 2019-03-31 23:52:25 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/346974207 The following two websites offer resources and research-based information about the gender spectrum. angiehouck https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/348256734 http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2016/gender-lines-science-transgender-identity/
https://www.genderspectrum.org/]]> 2019-04-03 19:28:08 UTC https://padlet.com/angiehouck/zqxn7zcaw9if/wish/348256734