Description
Book SynopsisThere has been a sizable amount of research on how 9/11 has had an impact on public school communities, including students, teachers, and parents of Muslim identity. There is however a lack of study on Muslim principals of public schools. This book examines the lived experiences of American Muslim principals who serve in public schools post-9/11 to determine whether global events, political discourse, and the media coverage of Islam and Muslims have affected their leadership and spirituality. Such a study is intended to help readers to gain an understanding of the adversities that American Muslim principals have experienced post-9/11 and how to address these adversities, particularly through decisions about educational policy and district leadership.
Trade ReviewOn the afternoon of September 11th 2001 I received a phone call from Dr. Debbie Almontaser, then a student of mine in a principal preparation program. The Twin Towers had just fallen, her son in the National Guard was heading to Ground Zero to help with rescue efforts, and she was being called upon to lead. We discussed her courageous work as an educator--for years she had devoted her practice to building bridges between communities and forging conversations across faiths. Now, she feared, our country's political discourse would turn against her and her Muslim colleagues in education. Her powerful work at that time distinguished her as a thought leader and she was approved to open a new dual language school, the only one teaching in Arabic and English in New York City. Quickly, the school she opened was caught in the crosshairs of that same political discourse, ultimately forcing her to leave her school, step back, reflect, research, and write. The result is Leading While Muslim, a profile of fourteen Muslim principals that provides an important treatise on education, on diversity, and on the undue burdens placed on leaders from marginalized groups in navigating the fraught and complex terrain of leading our nation's schools. Leading While Muslim is an important contribution to the literature on school leadership and a must-read for all interested in how educators from marginalized groups find strength in themselves so that they can continue to serve children and hopefully contribute to a more just world. -- Sandra J. Stein, former Chief Executive Officer, NYC Leadership Academy
While this is a book about Muslim American principals, most non-Muslim teachers and principals can also relate to how their work has changed under a Security State. Our post-9/11 world of political spectacle has created a culture of fear, reinforced old prejudices, and focused on new targets -- Muslim Americans merely being the most recent. Dr. Debbie Almontaser provides us with portraits of courageous Muslim American school leaders who struggle to lead their schools through the fear and prejudice. -- Gary L. Anderson, Steinhardt School of culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University Steinhardt School of culture, Education, an
Muslims have been part of American society since the founding of the Republic. Yet, relatively little is known about their lives and their roles in American society. This important new book by Dr. Debbie Almontaser, a veteran educational leader from New York City, sheds light on the experiences and contributions of Muslim principals. Through their stories we learn both about the challenges they face, particularly in the aftermath of 9/11, and how they navigate barriers related to prejudice, pernicious stereotypes, and xenophobia. For educators and others who recognize the potential for education to serve as a force for justice and tolerance, this book will be an invaluable resource. -- Pedro A. Noguera Ph.D, distinguished professor of education UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
Not much has been written about the challenges that American Muslim principals face. As a school leader, Debbie Almontaser finally gives voice to a much needed educational community: Muslim school leaders. Within these pages, she discusses topics that are encountered everyday by these American Muslim school leaders. Almontaser creates a clear and coherent framework for her argument and her writing is clear and a pleasure to read. Each chapter is grounded in research and contains valuable reflections. Her emphasis on these school leaders is an essential component towards bridging the educational norms in contemporary public schooling. This book is among the best written I have seen on this educational topic. Almontaser has a lifetime of experience in public school education, including as a school leader. Today, she is helping education leaders and lay leaders. As a result of her experiences, she provides guidance and inspiration to focus on encouraging community cultural practices in our schools. -- Wafa Hozien Ph.D, Educational Leadership Department, Central Michigan University
Table of ContentsForeword Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: The Meaning of Leadership Chapter 3: The American Muslim Experience Chapter 4: How this Study was Conducted Chapter 5: Political Climate and Role of the Media Chapter 6: Inferior and Foreign: Being Seen as the “Other” and Unconscious Fear Chapter 7: Spirituality Chapter 8: Education and Communication over Political Spectacle and Additional Findings Chapter 9: Implications for the Future and Conclusion About the Author
