The Lab: Strategy and Scholarship

The Color of Emergency: A Critical Narrative Analysis of Leadership during State Takeovers of Urban Schools in Michigan - Dissertation

Emergency management policy in Michigan disproportionately affects minority populations and school districts serving predominantly low-income and African-American children (Lee et al., 2016). My research explores how emergency management policies have shaped the experiences of African-American school districts, particularly through the perspectives of local leadership.

This critical narrative study examines:

  • The impact of emergency management on public education
  • The lived experiences of local leaders navigating state intervention
  • The effectiveness of emergency managers in resolving financial and academic challenges
Through semi-structured interviews and an extensive review of public records, my findings revealed five key themes:
  1. Racial Realism in Policy – Emergency management reinforced systemic disparities rather than resolving them.
  2. Financial Strain & Academic Vulnerability – State interventions exacerbated economic distress, impacting student outcomes.
  3. Disempowered Local Leadership – Local governance structures were undermined, reducing community agency.
  4. Cultural & Social Repression – School communities experienced cultural erasure and diminished student identity affirmation.
  5. Governance Gaps – A lack of clear accountability left long-term uncertainty for the district’s future.

Key Takeaways for Educators, Policy Makers, and Advocates

Understanding these findings is critical for rethinking educational policy and leadership in marginalized communities. Policymakers must consider approaches that center community voices and promote sustainable equity-driven reform.

Resources & Further Exploration

To deepen the conversation on racial equity, education policy, and leadership, I’ve curated an essential reading list.

Books that have shaped my perspective on justice, leadership, and education equity:

  1. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents – Isabel Wilkerson
  2. The New Jim Crow – Michelle Alexander
  3. Pedagogy of the Oppressed – Paulo Freire
  4. Be a Revolution – Ijeoma Oluo
  5. The Color of Law – Richard Rothstei
  6. We Want to Do More Than Survive – Bettina L. Love
  7. The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children – Gloria Ladson-Billings
  8. Savage Inequalities – Jonathan Kozol
  9. Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools – Monique W. Morris
  10. Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates
  11. When Affirmative Action Was White  - Ira Katznelson
  12. Faces at the Bottom of the Well - Derrick Bell
  13. The Fire Next Time - James Baldwin

The Color of Emergency: A Critical Narrative Analysis of Leadership during State Takeovers of Urban Schools in Michigan - Dissertation

The emergency management policy in Michigan disproportionally affects minority populations and school districts serving predominately low-income and African-American children (Lee et al., 2016). The purpose of this critical narrative study is to explore the implications of emergency management for predominately African-American school districts through the lived experiences of local leadership.

The research questions that guided this study included identifying the impact on public education following emergency management, understanding the lived experiences of local leaders, and their perception of the emergency managers' effectiveness in resolving financial and academic issues. The study conducted eight semi-structured interviews and analyzed 115 public records from one school district in receivership. Data analysis included open coding and thematic analysis, which produced five key findings.

Ultimately, the research study concluded that the concept of racial realism was demonstrated when exploring emergency management. In as much so, emergency management for African-American school districts exacerbated financial stress and created scholastic vulnerability. Also, the study found that local leaders were disempowered, and governance in the school district was convoluted. Furthermore, the school district experienced cultural and social repression that undermined student academic growth and development.

 

Research Interests:

  • Structural Racism in Urban Education
  • Critical Race Theory
  • Educational Policy
  • Organizational Development & Leadership
  • International Relations