A phenomenological study on microaggressions among higher secondary school students from the school head's perspective

This study delves into school heads' perspectives regarding microaggressions in eight diverse school environments. The term 'microaggressions' may be unfamiliar to many, as it pertains to the subtle verbal and nonverbal offensive behaviors of students or adults in classroom settings or outside the classroom. Despite the potential impact of these behaviors on the victims, they are frequently ignored or overlooked. This research aims to bring attention to the aforesaid phenomenon through a phenomenological study in which school heads were interviewed to gain deeper insights. The school heads were presented with a series of questions, approximately nine in total, to elicit their perspectives. Through sequential discussions, it became evident that these seemingly insignificant actions warrant more consideration. The study also explored the possibilities of various strategies that school heads can employ to address and prevent verbal and non-verbal microaggressions. It is imperative to recognize that microaggressions can stem from multiple sources, such as race, religion, gender, socioeconomic background, physical appearance, caste, creed, and ethnicity. Ultimately, it is crucial to discourage and prohibit any form of behavior that causes harm, regardless of its scale, which occurs within educational settings. The research aims to address incidents in school settings and suggests that remedial measures could involve micro-resistance techniques.