Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
11-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Jennifer Butcher
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Karen Maxwell
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Sonerka Mouton
Abstract
This qualitative study explored the experiences of African American educational leaders in navigating racial microaggressions in the workplace, specifically within K-12 educational settings. Using Taxonomy of Racial Microaggressions and emotion regulation theory as frameworks, this research examines how these leaders manage, respond to, and cope with various forms of racial bias while maintaining their professional identities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with African American leaders, and thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns of microaggressions and corresponding emotion regulation strategies. Key findings reveal that participants frequently encounter microaggressions such as assumption of inferiority, criminality, and second-class citizenship, with gender-specific experiences noted among female leaders. This study highlights the strategic coping mechanisms employed by these leaders, including cognitive reappraisal, emotional suppression, and attentional deployment, to navigate the emotional and professional toll of these encounters. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of proactive leadership roles in diversity initiatives as a way to mitigate the impact of racial microaggressions and foster organizational inclusivity. This study concludes by recommending policy reforms aimed at fostering more inclusive work environments, with an emphasis on leadership development programs that enhance emotional resilience and advocacy for African American leaders. Implications for future research include longitudinal studies on the long-term effects of racial battle fatigue and deeper explorations of the intersectionality of race and gender in leadership experiences.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Lavan, Rayfield J. III, "The Erosion of Identity: A Study of the Influence of Racial Microaggressions on K-12 African American School Leaders" (2024). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 829.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/829
Included in
Educational Psychology Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Secondary Education Commons, Secondary Education and Teaching Commons, Urban Education Commons