“Educators are facing a revolutionary moment—classrooms have become battlegrounds over what young people should or should not be taught, and the pandemic shined a light on the disparities that pervade our school systems. In order for us to move forward, we need to be all in,” writes Executive Director of Curriculum Development & Equity Dr. Mary Rice-Boothe in her new Edutopia article Culturally Responsive Leadership.
In the article, Rice-Boothe offers guidance for education leaders to engage with colleagues in ways that advocate for positive and equitable learning environments for all students. She explores how leaders can model culturally responsive behavior, think about their personal and interpersonal approaches, and consider institutional practices. She urges leaders, in the words of James Baldwin, to “go for broke.”
“It may be overwhelming to think about the intensity of what this work entails, but it’s important to make individual decisions about what ‘going for broke’ looks like within our context, and it may change by the day, month, or year. However, going all-in for our students and families is necessary,” writes Rice-Boothe.