Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Summer 2013 "A Song for You" As Tribute to the Daughters of the South: Illuminating the Work of Black Women Principals Beverly Cox Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Part of the Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, and the Race and Ethnicity Commons Recommended Citation Cox, Beverly, ""A Song for You" As Tribute to the Daughters of the South: Illuminating the Work of Black Women Principals" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 859. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/859 This dissertation (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “A SONG FOR YOU” AS TRIBUTE TO THE DAUGHTERS OF THE SOUTH: ILLUMINATING THE WORK OF BLACK WOMEN PRINCIPALS by BEVERLY COX (Under the Direction of Sabrina Ross) ABSTRACT Curriculum can be understood as a place of both struggle and possibility, where curriculum workers engage in complicated conversations about self, society, and the purposes of education (Pinar, 2004). Although curriculum theorists have contributed much to discussions of how to improve the current state of education, little attention in the field is given to the role that leadership can play in educational transformation (Ylimaki, 2011). This study contributes to the field of curriculum studies by exploring the ethics of care of Black women public school principals in the South. By exploring the life experiences of Black female principals from the South, this study contributes to an understanding of curriculum as a racialized and gendered text (Pinar, Reynolds, Slattery, & Taubman, 1995) and as a place-specific phenomenon (Kincheloe & Pinar, 1991). Geographic spaces are linked to economic, social, and political structures; they hold memories and shape lived realities (Hoelscher, 2003; Kincheloe & Pinar, 1991). Education in the South occurs in the context of a history of human enslavement, violence, resistance, and often contentious race relations, all of which have impacted the behaviors of teachers and school administrators (Glymph, 2008; Hoelscher, 2003; Pinar; 1991). 1 To explore new possibilities for educational transformation, this study merges storytelling, autobiographical reflections, and information gained from intensive interviews with Black women principals to illuminate the social, historical, and political contexts within which Black women principals’ ethics of care are derived and enacted. By highlighting the knowledge and experiences of Black women public school administrators, this dissertation serves as a symbolic tribute to the Black women of my community who encouraged me on my journey to the principalship. Four findings emerged from this study with implications for contemporary educational policies and practices. They are: (1) Black women principals’ ethics of caring are socially and culturally derived; (2) Black women principals simultaneously engage in interpersonal and institutional forms of caring that are intimately connected to issues of justice; (3) Life in the South was both a Curse and a Blessing for Black women principals; and (4) Black women principals are servant leaders who sacrifice themselves for educational justice. INDEX WORDS: Black women principals, Black feminist thought, Womanism, Ethics of care, Curricula of Place, Othermothers, Servant Leaders, Rondo Metaphor, Racial Oppression 2 “A SONG FOR YOU” AS TRIBUTE TO THE DAUGHTERS OF THE SOUTH: ILLUMINATING THE WORK OF BLACK WOMEN PRINCIPALS by BEVERLY COX B.A., Mary Baldwin College, 1972 Ed.S., University of Georgia 1990 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION STATESBORO, GEORGIA 2013 3 © 2013 BEVERLY COX All Rights Reserved 4 “A SONG FOR YOU” AS TRIBUTE TO THE DAUGHTERS OF THE SOUTH: ILLUMINATING THE WORK OF BLACK WOMEN PRINCIPALS by BEVERLY COX Major Professor: Sabrina Ross Committee: Ming Fang He Robert Lake Donyell Roseboro Electronic Version Approved: July 2013 5 DEDICATION To God for sustaining me through my studies, exploration and writing of my dissertation. To the “Mothers of the South” who realized my potential and encouraged me to “Press On” in spite of adversity. Mrs. Charlotte Chisolm Mrs. Lizzie Drayton Mrs. Esther F. Garrison Mrs. Jacqueline Green Mrs. Carolyn Phillips Mrs. Josie Winbush 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many thanks to my family, friends, and colleagues for assisting me through this journey. Because of their support, I have accomplished my task in the hopes of making a difference in the lives of others. I offer a special thank you to the following people. To Dr. Sabrina Ross, my Dissertation Chair, who guided me through my writing and encouraged me at every level. I appreciate your insight, time, energy, and patience. I will be forever grateful. To my Dissertation Committee—Dr. Ming Fang He, Dr. Robert Lake, and Dr. Donyell Roseboro—I deeply thank you for your support, encouragement, honest feedback, resources, and time. To my husband, the Rev. Dr. McClellon D. Cox, you lifted me up in prayer daily through good and challenging times of reading, writing, and researching. To Mario D. Cox and McClellon Don Cox III, my sons, I thank you for being patient and kind throughout the process. To Mr. and Mrs. Jake and Charlotte Chisolm, my parents, you are always there for me. Thank you for your on-going love and support. To my family, thanks for the words of encouragement. To Mrs. Frenchy Hodges, who assisted me in framing a title for my dissertation, there is a “Song for You.” To Cora Blades, a colleague who planted the idea in my head to pursue a doctorate, I thank you. Finally, to the three Black women principals, I appreciate your wonderful contributions to this study. Through your positive examples and rich storytelling, you will encourage other women who aspire to become principals. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement…..……………………………………………………………..…......7 Prologue ............................................................................................................................12 Chapter I Introduction ....................................................................................................15 Statement of the Problem ..........................................................................................17 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................19 Autobiographical Roots of my Inquiry ......................................................................21 Challenges of the Study .............................................................................................22 Organization of the Dissertation ................................................................................22 Chapter II Theoretical Framework and Literature Review ........................................25 Black Feminist Thought and Womanist Theoretical Frameworks ............................26 Curriculum of Southern Place ...................................................................................33 Research on Caring in the School Setting .................................................................35 Student and Teacher Relationships ...................................................................35 Caring for Diverse Student Populations ............................................................42 Historical Models of African American Principals ...................................................47 Black Women Principals and the Ethics of Care .......................................................51 Realities .............................................................................................................52 (Re)constructions ..............................................................................................52 Resolutions ........................................................................................................53 Summary of Literature Reviewed .............................................................................57 Chapter III Methodology ...............................................................................................59 8 Qualitative Inquiry and Black Women Principal’s Ethics of Care ............................59 Storytelling ................................................................................................................62 Autobiographical Reflections ....................................................................................64 Research Design ........................................................................................................65 Setting and Participants .....................................................................................65 Procedure...........................................................................................................66 Data Collection..................................................................................................67