Educator Vision/ing, Abolitionist Perspectives, and the Logics of Black Educational Transformation

Black educational transformation hinges on undoing schooling structures that sustain Black children’s racial harm. This study presents a year-long qualitative investigation of the central role of Black educators’ vision/ing in advancing the structural change essential for transformation. This phenomenological case study draws on over 40 hours of nonparticipant observation, 27 initial one-on-one educator interviews, 18 follow-up interviews, and school-wide communications and policy documents. Findings underscore how misalignments in educator vision/ing may compromise structural change aimed at transforming Black students’ educational experiences (e.g., dismantling a punitive school discipline model). Abolitionist perspectives guide our consideration of how to develop the collective educator vision/ing needed to establish schooling conditions that nurture Black students’ well-being.