Here Be Dragons: The Barriers of Korean American Female Leaders in Secondary Schools

In K-12 public schools, there is a shortage of Korean American women in school leadership roles at the secondary level. This phenomenological study explores the contributing factors to this lack of representation, how institutions can recruit and retain Korean American female leaders, and how school systems can better support them. This study examines the leadership experiences of eight Korean American women. It utilizes the socio-political contexts of Korean patriarchy, the Model Minority Myth, and mentorship to help frame the problem of existing barriers. This study explores the following questions: What factors hinder Korean American women in school leadership? What structural on-ramps are needed to encourage Korean American women to pursue leadership? What structural supports can schools implement for Korean American women to remain in leadership positions? Using a counter-story narrative, the participants identified issues surrounding family pressures, cultural expectations, and lack of representation, and they suggested valuable suggestions for aspiring Korean American female leaders, as well as strategies to sustain those already in the field. The findings of this study reveal that once Korean American women embark on their leadership journey, schools need to provide mentoring and networking opportunities to care for Korean American female administrators uniquely. The ultimate goal of this study is to shed light on the reason for the disparity in representation of Korean American women in school leadership, particularly at the high school level, and to challenge educational institutions to do better to nurture and care for Korean American female leaders.