“We’re All in This Together”: How Can Education Leaders Shift Gentrifier Parents’ Stories About Public Schools?

Gentrifier families can bring resources and support to urban public schools, but they can also do damage to school communities. In this case narrative, Principal Jackson confronts negative stories circulating among gentrifier parents on social media about her school. She faces a dilemma: how can she address gentrifier parents’ concerns without letting their fears and desires overwhelm her staff’s work to support the whole school community? Teaching notes and activities provide frameworks for leaders to develop their understanding of how gentrifier parents participate in public schools and to craft stories that reframe the purposes and benefits of public schools.