I Know the Trouble I’ve Seen: A Resilient Black School Administrator Experiences Joy by Sharonda Pruitt
In June 2018 the Honorable John Lewis tweeted “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” Interestingly, one often faces necessary trouble as they enter the ranks of being a school administrator. This necessary trouble is what causes sleepless nights for many school administrators. But this necessary trouble is also a cause of joy.
Good trouble for Black school administrators is having a strong commitment to the community that one serves. But what does good trouble look like for an urban Black school administrator? Where do urban Black school administrators find joy?
For me, an urban, first-time Black female principal, I was placed into a school in which approximately twenty-five percent of the area population had a high school diploma. On the first day of school a parent cussed me out—with students present. On the last day of school, a parent came looking for me—calling me a fat bitch saying she was going to kill me. In both instances, I refused to give into parental demands that would put all students at risk. Later that year, a teacher, so frustrated with a student, pushed the child out of the classroom and I, walking by, was a witness. The teacher was placed on administrative leave. Another teacher posted information online that appeared as if she was ready to take her life. With the help of my assistant principal, I was able to get her the proper support.
When I arrived at the school, I was excited. The school was low performing but full of promise. Most of the teachers were Black. The neighborhood was predominantly Black. And I was Black. My excitement grew since I would have the opportunity to educate—to do all that I had trained to become. I was overjoyed to serve my own people! I could use my degree, my training, and my expertise to be a great school leader. I would have the chance to show students, all elementary aged, that education was the great liberator—that education was the avenue to become what you wanted to become. Even greater, I had the opportunity to help young Black educators shine as instructors by supplying them with great training and mentorship as a principal.
After two years of being at the school, we missed state accountability each year! Even though we were unacceptable in the eyes of the state, the cultural, social, and emotional gains we made were tremendous. My most memorable accomplishment was getting a student in the appropriate placement. This student roamed the halls every day. She often sat in my office. Knowing the school was a safe place, she even ran away to school one day, afraid that she was going to get spanking from her mother. After months of testing, we placed her in the proper grade level class. She could now thrive.
These experiences are good trouble and a source of joy. As an administrator good trouble is fighting for students and communities despite the one or two people who complain—who want you out of a job. Good trouble is ensuring that students have a strong, good teacher on the first day of class so learning can start on day one. Most importantly, good trouble is following your own, unpopular path. Based on my experiences, I now tell people that there is no set path. The path is yours to define. There is simply a path of doing right by people and doing right by yourself. As you seek to do good, then you get into good trouble. Getting into good trouble creates joy.
Sharonda Pruitt is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Texas A&M Commerce. Her research focuses on school community partnerships and post-secondary readiness. Prior to entering higher education, she served 21 years as an educator in a major urban district.
