Date of Award
Summer 8-22-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
First Advisor
Lolita A. Tabron
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
Social justice, Educational leaders, Denver, Racial disparities, whiteness
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore how white educational leaders in Denver, Colorado, understand and enact socially just leadership practices. This city was intentionally selected to recruit a rich participant pool, because it reflects racial disparities in educational positions and has recently demonstrated resistance to political injustice. The research question was: How do white leaders understand and enact social-justice-oriented leadership practices? Sub-questions covered their experiences, beliefs, practices, perceived roles, and barriers to execution. This study used a qualitative inquiry as the research method; furthermore, data was analyzed through both critical whiteness studies and abolitionist leadership praxis. Findings focus on patterns in childhood development, attempts at social justice through professional actions, conflicts surrounding various forms of white resistance, and deference to institutional structures and expectations. These takeaways could enhance, sharpen, and inform moral compasses for educational leadership programs nationwide. The project also involved initial steps toward the empirical development of a leadership framework that reflects centuries of abolitionist revolutionary thought. The findings from this study have the potential to shift the training of white leaders, further the theoretical application of abolitionist leadership praxis, and enhance strategies for multiracial coalition building.
Copyright Date
8-2026
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Brian C. Vedder
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
227 pgs
File Size
1.8 MB
Recommended Citation
Vedder, Brian C., "Using Abolitionist Thought to Erode the Power of whiteness: A Qualitative Inquiry Examining the Social Justice Efforts of white Educational Leaders" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2810.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2810
Included in
Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Social Justice Commons