The Experiences of Secondary School Administrators' Social Justice Leadership Praxis: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

This dissertation is a phenomenological study conducted in a Midwest urban school district that explores the social justice leadership experience of secondary school administrators (6th - 12th grades) under the supervision of a self-identified social justice advocate superintendent. This study uses principal and superintendent interview data to describe the phenomenon of social justice leadership. The study captures the unique experiences of school administrators of varied gender, cultural, socioeconomic and communal backgrounds who are charged with systematizing equitable academic and ancillary support for students from diverse and economically underprivileged backgrounds.

The dissertation introduces the topic of social justice leadership in secondary schools, includes a review of the literature that contains definitions, characteristics, and the theoretical underpinnings of social justice leadership. This dissertation also presents a rationale for a hermeneutic and egological qualitative phenomenological design, maintaining that this approach is best suited to capture the multiple perspectives on social justice leadership that exist in one complex, diverse, and interconnected school district. Findings contribute to understanding the essence of social justice leadership in secondary urban schools.