Knowing Leadership: Students of Color (Re)considering Togetherness with Leaders and Authority Figures

Abstract

Drawing on Bauman's (1995) conceptualization of various forms of togetherness and Giroux (2005) and Anzaldúa (2007) explication of border theory, this paper presents findings of a research study that investigates how students of color come to know leaders and authority figures. Findings suggest that students identified “leaders” in part based on their relationships and connections with them and the perceived benefit of such connection. Family members and teachers were considered leaders when students’ relationships with them reflected Bauman's (1995) “being-for” perspective, as characterized by positive role modeling and empathy. In schools, teachers—rather than school administrators—were most often described as leaders. These relationships were commonly associated with disciplinary issues and the enforcement of rules, and a colorblind system. Implications suggest that relationship characteristics in the borderlands of schools influence the perception of effective school leadership and school authority for students of color.