Politics and principals: Beginning black teachers’ perceptions of relationships with administrators in 21st-century schools

Abstract

Historically, African American teachers have been the foundation of effective teaching for African American learners and for others in public schools before and after the landmark Brown versus Board decision. The ability of these teachers to do the work necessary to continue this legacy in the post-Brown era appears to be difficult in current teaching environments across the country. While this struggle persists, the profession at large maintains a stated interest in increasing the number of ‘diverse’ teachers in the general population. The consistently declining numbers of African American teachers coupled with high stakes testing, and the subsequent demanding nature of 21st-century classrooms point to a challenging work environment for most, especially the novice or beginning African American teacher. This article reports the findings of a three-year qualitative study of first year African American teachers in the 21st century. Overall findings emphasize the impact of school administrative practices on the performance of beginning black teachers. The necessity of those responsible for leading schools to be responsive to the needs of these teachers is highlighted.