SWOSU Digital Commons

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Introduction

This edition of the AIJ opens with an invited article from Jared F. Edwards, Ph.D. and AIJ Editor-at-Large, titled “Color-blind Racial Attitudes: Microaggressions in the Context of Racism and White Privilege.” In “A Study of Rural High School Principals’ Perceptions as Social Justice Leaders,” Shelly Albritton, Ph.D., Stephanie Huffman, Ed.D., and Rhonda McClellan, Ed.D., of the University of Central Arkansas examine how principals in rural high schools view their roles in supporting LGBTQ students at school and within the community. Doris Carroll, Ph.D., Kansas State University, calls for a shift to a “global enrichment campus” in “A Faculty Woman of Color and Microinvalidations at a White Research Institution: A Case of Intersectionality and Institutional Betrayal.” In “Factors Contributing to the Persistence of African American and Hispanic Undergraduate Males Enrolled at a Regional Predominantly White Institution,” Reginal R. Hall, Ed.D., discusses the racial disparity of graduates from higher learning institutes and some of the contributing factors that may impede the retention and success of African American and Hispanic male undergraduates. Jackie Mania-Singer, Ed.D, Oklahoma State University, follows with two articles. The first, “A Review of For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… And the Rest of Ya’ll Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education, is a literature review and discussion of Christopher Emdin’s work, which delves into the concept of “reality pedagogy” or the instruction of students on their own cultural terms. The second article presented by Mania-Singer, “A Systems Theory Approach to the District Central Office’s Role in School-level Improvement,” is a case study examining the relationships between district central office members and principals from high-performing or lowperforming schools, and how those relationships—or the lack thereof—impact those schools. The article “Investigation of Factors Relating to the Web-based Presentation of Policy and Information on Campus Firearm Policy and Smoking Policy” by Veronica F. McGowan, Ph.D., Southwestern Oklahoma State University employs the lens of privilege to examine the availability of institute policies for students who are non-Native English speakers. Finally, the article “Do Leaders’ Experience and Concentration Area Influence School Performance?” by Kimberlin Sturgis, Ph.D., Brittanee Shiflette, M.Ed., and Tyrone Tanner, Ed.D., Prairie View A&M University, examines the relationship between a principal’s background and experience and how that affects the schools they lead.