Forty Acres and a Mule: A Critical Audit of California's Williams Legislation Implementation and the Implications for Educational Leaders

Abstract

This study investigated educational leaders’ critical evaluations of California's landmark contemporary school equity legislation Williams v. the State of California. Qualitative interview analysis indicated that leaders perceived the equity measure to be necessary but insufficient in advancing the larger project of educational justice. Hence, policy directives governed by political expediency ultimately fall short in ushering disruptive change. Renorming the privileged hierarchy of the leadership class was central to fomenting change. Participants argued that leadership practice for educational justice required leaders to transgress normative structures that hurt the children and the communities they serve, whether those norms resided within the school, within themselves, or within the dominant power structure. Critical issues and leadership implications are forwarded.