School counseling district leaders’ experiences with anti–DEI laws and policies: A phenomenological investigation

Abstract

School counseling district leaders (SCDLs) are instrumental in shaping district policy, supporting school counselors, and interfacing with both internal and external constituents; as such, their systemic lens is of particular importance, given the K-12 pushback on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) occurring at the state- and district-levels. As a result, we conducted a critical application of Husserl's phenomenology to understand the collective experience of a sample of SCDLs (N = 10) working in locations with anti-DEI laws and/or policies, specifically those restricting Black, indigenous, and people of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning rights and topics. Through the findings, participants shared that navigating the anti-DEI systems resulted in increasingly complex leadership roles, overcoming fear to recommit to their students and professional values, and finally, combating anti-DEI efforts through advocacy. Recommendations for future practice and research are included and grounded in a multi-systemic approach and advocacy.