In recent years, right-wing politics have gained significant traction in the United States and Europe. The 2024 U.S. elections marked a Republican resurgence, with Donald Trump re-elected as president and the party gaining control of Congress and the Senate, reflecting increased voter support for conservative ideologies. In Europe, far-right movements have grown stronger in Germany, Italy, and France, often driven by concerns over immigration and nationalism. On July 22, 2011, Norway experienced a devastating terror attack by a far-right extremist, resulting in 77 deaths. The attack, motivated by opposition to multiculturalism and perceived "Islamization" of Europe, led to a national focus on unity, democracy, and countering extremism. A 2017 report on perceived racism among youth found that schools are a primary arena for experiencing racism, particularly in primary and lower secondary education. A study in Oslo schools revealed that while bullying rates are similar across ethnic groups, minority students face significantly higher levels of hate speech targeting their ethnicity, religion, or skin color (Nadim, 2021). The Core Curriculum (Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2017) emphasizes school leadership's role in fostering learning and creating professional communities where shared values are reflected upon. Effective leadership requires legitimacy, addressing challenges faced by staff, and fostering environments where all participants can thrive. Over the past 25 years, attention to racism in Norwegian education has increased, especially following the racially motivated 2001 murder of 15-year-old Benjamin Hermansen. Since 2002, the Benjamin Prize has been awarded annually to schools excelling in anti-racism and anti-discrimination efforts (Antirasistisk Senter & Wasvik, 2017). This study analyzes the practices of winning schools through a document analysis of jury justifications from 2002 to 2024. It employs Transformative Leadership (Shields, 2010) and Advocacy Leadership (Anderson, 2009) as frameworks to explore how these schools address racism and foster inclusive communities. Results indicate that efforts against racism and discrimination can be summarized as follows: Schools work systematically and over the long term to prevent racism and discrimination. This includes developing concrete measures, integrating anti-racist initiatives into school plans, and continuously improving strategies for inclusion. Also, many schools emphasize student involvement, where students actively participate in promoting diversity and combating discrimination. At the same time, the local community, parents, and other stakeholders are engaged to strengthen the efforts. Not least, school leadership plays a key role in promoting values such as democracy, inclusion, and respect.

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