“Attacked,Silenced,and Disrespected”: Navigating White Fragility in a Conversation About Race Within a Principal Preparation Program Classroom

Abstract

This case study examines an incident in which white fragility disrupted a discussion on race in a Zoom-based Social Justice Leadership course within a southeastern EdD program. After a White student expresses feeling “unsafe” when confronted with Black students’ honest thoughts about racism, the course instructor responds with an email that unintentionally heightens racial tensions within the class. This incident highlights common challenges in fostering meaningful race-based dialogues within principal preparation program classrooms. This case provides teaching notes, areas of discussion, learning activities, and additional resources meant to support aspiring school leaders’ capacity to manage racial discomfort and take on anti-racist mindsets and actions within their schools and lives more broadly.