Unconscious Bias Towards African American Women in the Education Workforce

The number of African American women who become school principals is low per national and local statistics. An unconscious bias towards African American women may have contributed to these low statistics. The process of applying for a school principal's position has not been consistent for over a century. It seems that for job openings in which the dominant culture is not African American, the likelihood of being the school principal is doubtful. Unveiling and examining these biases may lead to determining how to include more African American women in educational administration. This chapter will describe 10 African American women who encountered unconscious bias as they sought and procured public-school principalship.