0.6 Challenges facing black american principals: a conversation  (Page 15/22)

Our dialogue is so entitled because of the perseverance it takes to complete a professional degree programand, in spite of the long hours of clinical practice and research, one still experiences racism. Racism is alive and well, despite ouracademic advancement and movement within middle-income status. Almost daily, we revisit how we have constructed the paradigm ofbeing Black American professional women. Sometimes our pains and experiences are so deep that at the end of the conversation we tryto think of something to make us laugh and usually it is the usage of words like,“That’s your cousin, girl.”For example, my sister observed a wealthy client (who visited a medical facility) requestthat their medical service be provided by White only staff. The request was honored. I laughed and exclaimed,“Girl so, they ain’t recognizing yo“D”huh?”We both fell into insurmountable laughter.

In turn, I relayed to her how one of my White students asked,“How did you learn to speak like dat?”The student was referring to my usage of Standard English and the ability tocode switch. Our laughter reflects our understanding that deep and soul filled laughter is therapeutic and helps to relieve the stressof the day.

When injustices seem too unbearable, one often uses music to illustrate“You gotta hurt before you heal”(Bland, 1989) and I add that hurting and healing takes time. In the Blackexperience, music and laughter provide opportunities to release, express, and temporarily remedy frustration and stressors.Dialogue, music, and laughter enable people of color to maneuver within the game of politics, for if one does not learn to play thepolitical game he/she will surely be played by politics. It is equally important to know that many things that exist as barriers,must often be left alone if the time for removing these barriers is not right. Quite often, issues should be left alone until theappropriate amount of ammunition for engaging in battle is available to the aggrieved to ensure that he or she has a strongcase. For example, if an aggrieved faculty member is filing a grievance against an administrator, the faculty person needs toensure that necessary documentation has been submitted in a timely manner and in accordance with university policy.

In the hit song "The Gambler," Kenny Rogers has this advice for listeners and I share it as metaphor for African Americans and other historicallyunderrepresented people attempting to thrive in chaotic situations:

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,Know when to walk away and know when to run.You nevercount your money when you're sittin' at the table.There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Summary and Implications

This short chapter has many implications for school districts that are committed to supporting the success andeffectiveness of school principals in the 21st century. Although the transformational leadership models embody collaboration andstrategic planning for moving from a simple instructional design to incorporating first and second order changes, the facilitativeleadership might be more appropriate for principals of color. This model includes the behaviors that embrace the collective ability ofthe school principals to adapt, solve problems, and improve performance. Facilitative leadership includes behavior that helpsthe school achieve goals that may be shared, negotiated or complemented (Murphy&Louis, 2001). In addition, resources such as Skills for Successful 21st Century School Leaders (Hoyle,2005) are recommended for districts seeking to prepare skilled leaders. This resource envelopes practical approaches toestablishing relationships with culturally diverse constituencies, formulating policies for bonds, facilitating site-base decisionmaking, gathering and analyzing data, and implementing futuristically focused staff development. In addition, thefollowing ideals are recommended in preparing principals from historically underrepresented groups. The ideals are supported byculturally responsive proverbs.