Social and Emotional Core of Equity Leadership : A Guide for Driving Change in Schools

The Social and Emotional Core of Equity Leadership: A Guide for Driving Change in Schools is a practical guide for educational leaders committed to creating inclusive schools where all students feel a sense of belonging. Challenging traditional approaches to social and emotional learning (SEL), this book argues that adult SEL must be rooted in equity and justice, not compliance or neutrality.

Through vivid case studies, research-informed frameworks, and a structured reflection tool, readers explore how inner work (like identity reflection, emotional self-awareness, and bias interruption) must fuel outer work (like policy change, community engagement, and institutional redress). Organized around five core SEL domains, the book offers concrete strategies for making equity actionable, particularly in moments of resistance, controversy, or discomfort.

Written for principals, district leaders, and school leadership teams, this book is ideal for those navigating real-world pressures while striving to lead with clarity and conscience. Whether you're rethinking discipline systems, addressing bias in dress codes, or responding to exclusion that flies under the radar, this book helps you lead more skilfully and justly.

Gianna Cassetta has been a classroom teacher, a school founder and leader, and a district-level leader. She is a certified Goleman EI Emotional Intelligence Coach and an International Coaching Federation Associate Certified Coach. She founded The Plain Red Horse Coaching and Consulting, where she supports parallel and equity-focused pathways to social and emotional development for children and adults.