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Race, Racism and Discrimination in School Leadership: Evidence from England and South Africa

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Title: Race, Racism and Discrimination in School Leadership: Evidence from England and South Africa


1
Race, Racism and Discrimination in School
Leadership Evidence from England and South
Africa
  • Tony Bush and Kholeka Moloi

2
Introduction
  • Paper based on two research projects
  • Black and Minority Ethnic Leaders in England
    (funded by NCSL)
  • Cross-boundary leaders in South Africa (funded
    by the University of Johannesburg)
  • Colleagues involved in both projects

3
Methodology
  • Two systematic literature reviews
  • BME leaders (UK/International)
  • CB leaders (Funded by the MGSLG)
  • A survey of BME leaders in England (64 responses)
  • Case studies of 47 English leaders
  • Case studies of 46 South African leaders

4
Under-representation of BME leaders (England)
  • Only 48 of BME teachers become leaders compared
    to 71 of white women and 65 of white men
    (Powney et al 2003)
  • I have been asked whether I am the cleaner or
    the teaching assistant people dont expect to
    see coloured senior staff (survey)
  • One parent . . . Called me a monkey.

5
Under-representation of CB leaders (South Africa)
  • Leaders overwhelmingly work in schools
  • previously reserved for their race
  • 97.8 of black leaders in black schools
  • 93.4 of white leaders in white schools
  • 88.0 of coloured leaders in coloured
    schools.
  • 78.3 of Indian leaders in Indian schools

6
Experience of CB leaders
  • White, Indian and coloured leaders are
    generally welcomed in the black schools
  • Black, Indian and coloured leaders face
    discrimination and hostility in white schools
  • The Indian and white educators do not accept
    black people readily (black leader).

7
Family and community attitudes
  • Participants in both countries want to maintain
    their culture
  • Staying close to their communities influences
    where leaders choose to work in both countries
  • Family support is vital for both sets of leaders

8
Identity
  • Historical and geographical dimensions
  • SA leaders forced to practice in racially
    prescribed settings
  • Black educators believe that white is good and
    clever (SA black participant)
  • English BME leaders trying to make sense of
    their roots and adopting a black to black
    perspective.

9
Discrimination
  • Covert in England but statutory in Apartheid
    South Africa until 1994
  • Attitudes change more slowly than the law
  • The white construction of black reality
    prevails (Bhatt et al 1988 150)
  • SA Cultural diversity may lead to conflict and
    ineffectiveness (Booysen 2003 3)

10
Discrimination in England
  • 14/64 report no discrimination
  • Most report negative discrimination
  • Racist attitudes, e.g in meetings (10)
  • Management attitudes (12)
  • LEA discrimination (6)
  • Colleagues attitudes (4)
  • Other, including parents (7)

11
Discrimination in South Africa
  • Continues across the racial divide
  • White educators unwilling to learn about black
    learners cultural backgrounds
  • Male coloured teachers dont want to work with
    a white female leader
  • Continuing racism for black and coloured
    leaders
  • Cultural bias is diminishing (Indian)

12
Recruitment and selection
  • Hidden discrimination for BME teachers seeking
    promotion (Powney et al 2003)
  • Career development inhibited by heads (9), SMTs
    (19), middle managers (5), LEAs (3), colleagues
    (8) and governors (1) survey
  • black people are faced with a glass ceiling
  • SA appointments process very bad and
    characterised by racism and bitterness.

13
Isolation and exclusion
  • BME and CB leaders isolated in schools (Bariso
    2001 Jones Maguire 1997)
  • Prejudice in threshold assessment (BME)
  • Black leaders excluded in SA white schools
    white educators are disrespectful
  • One middle manager reports exclusion from SMT
    meetings educators defy her

14
Overcoming the barriers
  • BME and CB leaders succeed despite the barriers,
    through
  • Perseverance, resilience and determination
  • Support and networking
  • Positive discrimination not seen as appropriate
    we
  • want teachers because they can teach, not because
  • they are black

15
Conclusion
  • Racism ingrained (in both countries?)
  • Specific context influences degree of racism
  • BME leaders may be token blacks
  • BME/CB leaders are exceptional pioneers
  • If you are black you have to be exceptionally
    good to progress
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