Date Approved
4-29-2026
Embargo Period
4-28-2028
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D. Educational Leadership
Department
Educational Leadership
College
College of Education
Advisor
Shelley Zion, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Susan Brown, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Cecile Sam, Ph.D.
Disciplines
Education | Educational Leadership
Abstract
This qualitative study examines how race and belonging shape the experiences of educators serving on school equity committees. Although these committees are increasingly used to address inequities, they often lack the authority and stability needed to produce meaningful change. This study explores how Black and white women educators understood their roles and how race influenced credibility, participation, and effectiveness. The analysis is grounded in Critical Race Theory and Black Feminist Thought, supported by Organizational Sensemaking and the Theory of Belonging. The study was conducted in three suburban New Jersey school districts. Six women educators participated in three interviews each, including one paired interview with a colleague from the same district. Data collection included memo writing, transcript review, and member checking. Findings show that equity committees often reproduced the inequities they sought to address. Black educators described representational burden, self-monitoring, and dismissal of their perspectives, while white educators faced fewer risks and greater acceptance. Effectiveness was shaped by systemic inequities and political conditions. The study concludes that meaningful equity work requires structural authority and institutional commitment.
Recommended Citation
Westawski, David L., "THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BLACK AND WHITE WOMEN EDUCATORS ON SCHOOL EQUITY COMMITTEES" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 3512.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3512
