All is not well in rapidly changing and transitioning schools as some teachers, administrators, and parents see their schoolsâ increasing diversity as a problem instead of an opportunity for growth (Howard, 2007). Increasing diversity in schools is a phenomenon that cannot be ignored and presents significant challenges for teachers and educational leaders (Beachum & McCray, 2004). School leadership is difficult and complex (Bogotch & Reyes-Guerra, 2014) as demographic shifts have brought about greater diversity in Western countries. Populations have become more diverse ethnically, racially, and socially, as well as by sexual orientation, socio-economic status, physical abilities, languages spoken, and religion and other forms of social identity. Research suggests that the public and particularly diverse communities do not have confidence that public schools are serving the needs of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students (Nieto, 2004) who are fast becoming a large slice of the population in the public school system in the USA and other Western countries. Diversity and immigration is on the lips of everyone both on the ârightâ and the âleftâ of the political divide with differing viewpoints on ways that Western societies must respond to ensure greater inclusion, so that some people do not feel that they are permanently on the margins of society. The increased diversity in countries like Canada and the USA is an asset for growth, development and building bridges among different peoples of the world. It is important for a better world for people from different backgrounds to develop deeper understanding about each other. Immigrants also add to the growth of the economy by purchasing goods and services. The Ontario Trillium Foundation (2009/2010) noted that the growth of the immigrant and visible minority population shifted the makeup of Ontarioâs large urban centers and this has had an impact on growth. Pinar (2007) recognizing the value that diversity brings to society argues for internationalization that focuses on opportunities to become engaged with each other as we advance the values of peace, ecological sustainability and social justice.All those involved in education must develop new approaches to schooling that respond to diversity in meaningful and practical ways so that students from diverse backgrounds can experience schooling positively. I hear stories often of how racialized students, poor students, students whose first language is not English are treated differently when it comes to discipline in school, lack of patience by some teachers whose tendency is to control and punish instead of employing culturally responsive approaches that connect with students and their experiences. My daughter who is an early childhood educator in Southern Ontario, said to me one day, âMom, I had no idea these kids were beaten down and broken from kindergartenâŠI did not realize it until I was in the classroom on a regular basisâŠsome teachers are great and love their job and the kidsâŠothers just complain about the kids and the communities they come fromâ. I see Black and Brown students, especially boys being put on timeout more often and for longer periods, teachers using loud voices and an authoritarian approach to discipline when a gentle knudge would sufficeâ.
In Canada by 2031 between 25 % and 28 % of the population could be foreign-born and 47 % of second-generation Canadians (Canadian-born children of immigrants) will belong to a visible minority group. The Canadian Employment Equity Act defines visible minorites as âpersons other than Aboriginal persons, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-White in colorâ. I acknowledge that the term visible minority is a contested term as some argue that it futhers the marginalization of racialized Canadians. As well 29 % to 32 % of the population or between 11.4 and 14.4 million people could belong to a visible minority group (Statistics Canada, 2011). This is more than double the number (5.3 million) reported in 2006. In the USA the trend is much the same. By 2044, more than half of all Americans are projected to belong to a minority group (any group other than non-Hispanic White alone), and by 2060, nearly one in five of the nationâs total population is projected to be foreign born (US Department of Commerce, 2015). By 2024, the number of White students enrolled in public schools is projected to decrease. Their share of enrollment is expected to decline and to be less than 50 % beginning in 2014. The enrollment of Hispanic students and Asian/Pacific Islander students is expected to increase. The number of Hispanic public school students is projected to increase from 12.5 million in 2013 to 15.5 million in 2024 and represent 29 % of total enrollment (U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Statistics, 2015). This will be the new reality in schools.
This increasing diversity poses new challenges as well as opportunities for educators and policy makers. Educators must embrace the richness that diversity brings and the possibilities of gaining new understanding to inform their practice. Parents and students from diverse communities expect that their children will be given opportunities to succeed in school. This means education that reflects their experiences and not steeped in the discourses, knowledge and practices of the dominant. Students must be able to see themselves in the curriculum, the teaching staff and school administration. Diversity offers opportunities for transfomative leaderhip in schools. Transformative leadership is based on dialogue and strong relationships with communities-it is a leadership approach that is socially just and deeply democratic (Shields, 2010). When communities are involved in the education process at all levels, the learning experiences of students are enhanced. The challenge of the 21st Century is to create schools that ensure that all students in all communities are succeeding (Darling-Hammond, 1997). Communities are no longer homogenous; they are a combination of different peoples with different experiences that must find ways to coexist respectfully inside and outside of schools. With the projected changes in the population, it is undeniable that the fabric of society in Western countries as we know it is changing. In recent years there have been vigorous debates in North America and other Western countries on the impact of this demographic shift and immigration on society and education. Schools cannot function as they have done in the past. They must find a different purpose than when they were structured to teach order and conformity to the elite group (Tyack, 1974). Preparing students from communities that are more diverse than ever before looks much different today, as their experiences are different and technology provides students access to more information (Hargreaves & Fullan, 1998). The changes that are taking place in schools as a result of increased immigration, in addition to the demands for educational reform and accountability, create challenges for school leaders all over (White & Cooper, 2012). Theorists such as Gloria Ladson-Billings, Maxine Green and others call on educational leaders, researchers and school-based scholars to understand the soocioeconomic and hegemonic power that schools have on how society is organized and the important role for social justice leadership in this context (Lopez, 2014). Canada is known for multiculturalism and diversity, yet homelessness and poverty still exist, particularly among Aboriginal communities, racialized and low-income populations (Lopez, 2014). A report by the Ontario Black Educators Network reveals that despite the growing diversity in Ontarioâs classrooms, teachers and administrators do not fully reflect the background of those in the classroom (Turner, 2015).
Research continues to show that many students from diverse communities and backgrounds, racialized students, and Aboriginal students are not achieving in school in the same way as their White counterparts. Over recent decades reformers have created and redesigned thousands of schools that are educating students from different racial, social, economic, and cultural backgrounds; however these schools and students remain at the margin of the educative process (Darling-Hammond, 1997). Scholars such as (Dei, Mazzuca, McIsaac, & Zine, 1997; James & Brathwaite, 1996) over the years have documented the plight of Black students, particularly Black boys in the Canadian education system. According to Dei (2015), students of color continue to underachieve and feel disengaged from the school system. I argue that students are not broken and in need of fixing but rather the school system needs to adjust to their needs, realities, and experiences. School leaders in the study spoke of challenges they faced advocating for students from diverse communities whose educational needs they believe are not being met. For example, some teachers are sometimes unwilling to acknowledge that change is needed in their pedagogy and curriculum. The urgent need for culturally responsive practices to be embedded in teaching, discipline, and other aspects of schooling has never been greater. The US News and World Report (2015) noted that American education is rife with problems, starting with the gaping differences between White students and students of color. The American Psychological Association (2012) reports that ongoing ethnic and racial disparities in education in the USA follow a pattern in which African American, American Indian, Latino, and Southeast Asian groups underperform academically, relative to Whites and other Asian Americans. The disparity in educational outcomes for marginalized and racialized students cannot continue if our societies are to move forward. The great educator and philosopher John Dewey argued that the responsibility of educators is to support students in seeing that education is important to them and their ability to contribute to society. Educators must push back at the demonization of immigrants that is currently occurring in public discourse. They must continue to work towards greater equity in education where all students have the opportunity to be successful. It is imperative that students no matter their background feel included, are engaged in the education system, and achieve success. Dei and Doyle-Woods (2009) call for educators to be brave and respond to difference and diversity within the schooling population, ensuring that curriculum, pedagogy, and texts reflect the diverse knowledge, experiences of studentsâ histories, ideas, lived experiences, and struggles.
The role of the school leader in this context is to advocate on behalf of students, increase their awareness of oppression, subvert dominant paradigms, and commit to advocate for educational change on behalf of traditionally oppressed and marginalized students (Jean-Marie, Normore, & Brooks, 2009). Leadership and its role in the achievement of students is an area that is still developing. There are various typologies of leadership and some argue that what leadership is and how it is defined continues to be an elusive concept (Leo & Barton, 2006). However, educational leaders in all areas of the education system have a role to play in these ever-changing and diverse contexts. Most people care about schools because their children attend and they believe that the countryâs future depends upon children attending public schools and getting an education (Reagle, 2006).
Challenges and Possibilities for School Leaders in the Face of Growing Diversity
School leaders are not a homogenous group. They come from different ethnicities and racial groups. They also have fluid and intersecting identities, bringing varying experiences to their leadership roles that impact their work in diverse contexts in different ways. These differences create complexities that call for deeper understanding of the issues as well as possibilities for action. Diversity cannot and should not be essentialized, and the complexity of the issue must be acknowledged. There isnât a one-size-fits-all solution to issues of diversity. For example, some school leaders who are White might need training and support on ways to respond to Aboriginal, Black, and Brown students-how to respectfully border-cross across cultures. Similarly some Black educators might need to develop deeper understanding of how to work with Latino/a students more effectively. Some school leaders might also have to learn more effective ways of supporting students from ethnic backgrounds where âpositive stereotypesâ and âinflated expectationsâ that impact those students negatively are challenged. Scholars such as (Chou, 2008 ; Yeh, 2001; Yin, 2000) and others argue that the model minority stereotype attributes educational and economic success to Asian Americans, and ignores the challenges that these students face such as poverty and language barriers. In Canada, some South Asians have expressed similar concerns (see Navaratnam, 2011).
One of the many challenges facing school leaders is how to translate their theory of understanding into practice. That is, implementing practices that treat diversity as an asset and as an important ingredient in preparing students for a world that is rapidly changing, without essentializing their experiences. By not addressing the needs of the growing diverse student population, schools contribute to high dropout rates and disengagement of students (McMahon & Portelli, 2004). Some argue that cultural diversity in schools is not taken into account enough as an important variable in the personal and social development of students (Aguado, Ballesteros, & Malik, 2002) and this runs the risk of thwarting their social development. Funding cuts, limited resources, neo-liberal reforms, and increasing demands make the work of educational leaders more challenging. Educators are frustrated that there is a lot of talk about diversity, but there seems to be slow progress made in reducing the achievement gap between the educational haves and the have-nots (Darling-Hammond, 2011). The US Department of Education recently called for more emphasis on equity in funding educational opportunities (Equity and Excellence Commission, 2013).
School leaders must not only think of ways to implement practices that are equitable and culturally responsive and seize upon the potential that diversity offers, they must also challenge dominant discourses and knowledge that have dominated education for centuries. Bogotch (2014) suggests that educational leaders must engage the dominant discourse in ways that disrupt the status quo. This is an ongoing journey of adjusting, re-thinking, creating new epistemologies, and seeking out possibilities for action. Bogotch and Shields (2014) argue that educational leadership is still dominated by technical approaches to efficiency and effectiveness, and that leadership for social justice must be deliberately focused on disturbing and disrupting conventional wisdom and dominant school practices. It is important for the well-being and educatio...