“Let's Take the B*tch Down!”: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of Race and Gender in HBO's Vice Principals

Abstract

Purpose: In the HBO comedy series, Vice Principals, two white men vice principals respond to the hiring of a Black woman high school principal with physical, emotional, and workplace violence. The purpose of this study was to explore (1) white men educational leaders’ perceptions of a Black woman educational leader, and (2) their responses to being passed over for promotion by a Black woman. Methods: Using whiteness as property as the theoretical framework, this study uses a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis applied to the first season of the television series (nine 30-min episodes) to uncover the relationships and power dynamics between the three main characters. Findings: White men are the most likely to hold the high school principalship. The findings highlight how the series’ white male characters worked together to force the Black woman out of her role as principal, based on the assumption that either of them was more deserving of the position than her. Although fictitious, these examples parallel the real-world experiences of Black women educational leaders in today's public schools. Implications: This study contributes to scholarship about why Black educators may leave the profession, particularly highlighting the influence of unsupportive school contexts, and more specifically, the gendered racism experienced by Black women. Superintendent preparation programs can consider coursework that encourages aspiring district leaders to identify specific mentoring and support for Black women principals and principals from other marginalized backgrounds. Finally, this scholarship highlights how popular media can be a useful data source for educational leadership research.