Black School White School: Racism and Educational (Mis) Leadership

by Jeffrey S. Brooks

How do race and race relations influence leadership practice and the education of students? In this timely and provocative book, the author identifies cultural and unstated norms and beliefs around race and race relations, and explores how these dynamics influence the kind of education students receive. Drawing on findings from extensive observations, interviews, and documents, the author reveals that many decisions that should have been based on pedagogy (or what is best for students) were instead inspired by conscious and unconscious racist assumptions, discrimination, and stereotypes. With applicable implications and lessons for all, this book will help schools and leadership programs to take the next step in addressing longstanding and deeply entrenched inequity and inequality in schools. Book

Genres: Education, Race, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The first three chapters are a bit of a slog, but they provide necessary context to the compelling case study and anecdotal evidence that follows. Once I grasped the concept of distributed leadership - and that took me awhile and some rereading - I found the concept to be exceptionally intriguing.

As an aspiring school administrator, I am invigorated by the idea of creating a school or district culture that fosters leaders and followers that are not dependent on a job title. As a white man desiring to lead in Education, I am compelled by Brooks’ assertion: “It is important that white men who lead listen first, support and advocate for underrepresented and oppressed peoples, and, using their privilege, create opportunities for others.”

[Chase Austin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me summarize this book for you in eight words: race is the center of the author’s universe. I expected much more from the author. His evidence of explicit racism is quite thin. His conclusions were not backed up with empirical evidence, he did not show charity toward his research population, he continually assumed the worst about people and their ideas without even a faint acknowledgement of other perspectives. The careful reader will notice no small amount of contradictions and inconsistencies. This book represents many things that are wrong with the Acadmey and the social sciences, shame on Teachers College Press for printing this work as it falls far below the high academic and scientific standards one would expect from them. This work reads like an ideological polemic as opposed to an empirical argument that is well-grounded in the field. If you are familiar with this type of educational and empirical activism then you will recognize many of his sources. This book is now over ten years old yet much of this non-sense has only increased from a publication standpoint. For the skeptical researcher who would like to entertain a well-reasoned pushback to woke ideology I’d recommend Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay as well as Woke Racism by John McWhorter.

[JodyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book I had to read for school. It was an interesting read, but I wish there were more suggestions on what we can to do to stop the racism occurring in out schools. The author is coming to class, so I'm interested to hear what he has to say.