Degrees: PHD, 2003, Univ Illinois Chicago; EDM, 1995, Harvard Univ; AB, 1979, Cornell Univ

Bio:

Dr. Jonathan David Lightfoot, Associate Professor, graduated from Cornell University with an A.B. in Economics and African and African American Studies. He then spent a number of years trying to connect his academic interests to the “real world” of corporate and entrepreneurial pursuits. Upon realizing that his message of participatory economics which promotes a classless society, human rights, and elimination of oppression via social justice did not mesh well with competitive market driven American economics, he decided to return to school for graduate study. His first stop was the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University to pick up an Ed.M. in Educational Leadership. He put his new degree to work at the City Colleges of Chicago where he ultimately became Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Services for the 160,000 student district. Academia eventually called and Dr. Lightfoot responded, eager to apply his Ph.D. in Policy Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago. His research interests include antiracist and anti-oppressive school leadership preparation, critical analysis of legal issues in education and their impact on policy, and foundations in education.

Selected Titles:

Lightfoot, J., "Toward a Praxis of Antiracist School Leadership Preparation," Presentation at Harvard Alumni of Color Conference, Cambridge, MA, March 5-7, 2004.

Lightfoot, J. & Gourd, K., "Miseducating for Inequity Fifty Years After Brown," Presentation at Patterson Research Conference, Washington, D.C., September 24-27, 2004.

Lightfoot, J., "New Perspectives on Race and School Segregation," Session Chair and Discussant, AERA 2005 Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, April 11-15, 2005