Social Justice: A Missing Link in A Literary Review of Successful Strategies Utilized by Principals for Retaining African American Teachers

Abstract

Perceptions on leadership training to sustain teachers of color vary in approaches, ideologies, and values. However, what evidence is within the literature to depict what effective principals do to retain, in particular, African American teachers?  In the present study, the authors have reviewed the literature from 2011-2020 through the lens of Critical Learning Theory. This examination led to an extrapolation of categories that indirectly embed social justice as a tool utilized for retaining African American teachers. Nevertheless, many well-known strategies utilized to promote the retention of present-day African American teachers do not include this motivating call-to-action within the parameters of their approach or training of principals. Social justice is an effective tool for supporting Generation X students who willfully and actively participate in digital and physical campaigns against systematic racial injustice. Therefore, educational leaders should transcend authoritative leadership and systematic racism with social justice as a pivotal strategy for teachers of color.