Massachusetts: Where Are the Missing Women?

22 Comments Post your own or leave a trackback: Trackback URL

1. Kiersten Marek says:

   March 1, 2016 at 9:06 am

   Reblogged this on Kmareka.com and commented:
   It’s probably much the same in Rhode Island, and many other states across the country. In fact, across the board, women only make it into about 17-22% of the top leadership spots.

   Reply
2. Becca Leech says:

   March 1, 2016 at 9:09 am

   There is a great movement in the UK called #WomenEd. I encourage anyone concerned about the lack of female leadership in education to follow them and join the efforts underway to form a US chapter.

   Reply
   • ciedie aech says:

     March 1, 2016 at 2:30 pm

     THANKS!

     Reply
   • #qualifiedwomenexist says:

     March 2, 2016 at 7:08 am

     Ditto – thanks for sharing the #WomenEd info. Just followed them and will join the effort to get something started here. Does anyone know of another US group working on this?

     Reply
3. Karen Wolfe says:

   March 1, 2016 at 9:26 am

   The glass ceiling still needs to be shattered. We now have a female superintendent in LAUSD, the largest school district in the United States with an elected school board. The fact that the board members who appointed her are accountable to voters surely played a role in that decision.

   Reply
4. SomeDAM Poet says:

   March 1, 2016 at 9:27 am

   The women are too smart and too honest to fall for the claims being made by reformsters like Dun-King and Coleman.

   You need someone like Mitchel Chester for that.

   Reply
   • jeanhaverhill says:

     March 1, 2016 at 3:18 pm

     did you spell that Dung-king?

     Reply
5. Cathy says:

   March 1, 2016 at 9:47 am

   No unusual. I have been trying to get a principal position in upstate NY. EVERY principal job I have applied to has gone to a male.

   Reply
6. retired teacher says:

   March 1, 2016 at 9:58 am

   When I first started teaching about forty years ago, all the administrators were men. In time women started to move into administrative posts. When we had our first woman superintendent, I can recall some of the female teachers saying, “I don’t want to work for a woman!” There are always those that cling to the status quo, but generally the most meaningful change includes moving forward towards equal opportunity for all.

   Reply
7. Dottie says:

   March 1, 2016 at 10:35 am

   My Superintendent in Arizona was a woman. I’m retired now and don’t remember who is the Superintendent now. I’ll have to check. The other retired, as well. The first Assistant Principal I had is now a Superintendent. I’m sure she is doing a great job. I really admired and respected her and a plus in Arizona–she is Hispanic. I would imagine there are many men in the higher positions here in Arizona, but I’m not sure.

   Reply
8. Linda says:

   March 1, 2016 at 11:06 am

   Data on a reversal of leadership opportunity for women, after the advent of the reform movement, would be enlightening.
   The placement of former TFA’ers, by sex and race, in management positions of education philanthropic organizations, would also be interesting.

   Reply
9. Linda says:

   March 1, 2016 at 11:19 am

   Racial diversity? – the manager photos, at the website, of an often-quoted education “philanthropic” organization.

   Reply
10. Maurine says:

    March 1, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    What is most ironic is that most of the women were more qualified in experience and education than the men who were selected.

    Reply
    • ciedie aech says:

      March 1, 2016 at 2:38 pm

      Not only are so many women much more experienced in education, and thus so much more qualified, but they are most often outspoken, reactive, resistant and student protective. It is easy to see why they will never be selected to lead the money-is-all greed tied to corporate school reform. The Peter Principle (Principal) works best with those willing to buy into the theory that if you do what you’re told and don’t fight us on anything, we’ll promote you.
      ciedieaech.wordpress.com: The Peter Principal.

      Reply
11. Duane Swacker says:

    March 1, 2016 at 6:07 pm

    Come on, we all know women should be barefoot pregnant and in the kitchen!

    Reply
    • Duane Swacker says:

      March 1, 2016 at 6:08 pm

      Oh, What? We’re in the 21st century not the 19th?

      Reply
    • Duane Swacker says:

      March 1, 2016 at 6:08 pm

      Nevermind!

      Reply
    • Duane Swacker says:

      March 1, 2016 at 6:09 pm

      All apologies to Roseanne Roseannadanna!

      Reply
12. Denise says:

    March 1, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    So glad someone is bringing attention to this issue! This has been a problem for well over 100 years of American public education but is so quickly overlooked!

    Reply
13. Becca Leech says:

    March 2, 2016 at 8:57 am

    Thought I might add a link to my, only somewhat tongue-in-cheek, plea for experienced female leadership in the Sec of Ed position – “It’s Time for the Reign of the Fat Old Ladies” http://tinyurl.com/hc5ncgx

    Reply
14. Jane Arnold says:

    March 2, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    Interesting. . . in the MA town I lived in (Boston suburb) the excellent male principal of the middle school retired and was replaced by an equally excellent female principal, who had been the vice principal. I lived next to this school and worked closely with both of them on community matters, and tutored special reading when the woman was the principal..
    The town hired a male CEO superintendent with a six-month speed course in running school systems, who managed to harass the new principal until he could find grounds to fire her, mired the town in a lengthy and costly law suit, and quit himself when he was required to provide information about his own correspondence on this matter.
    The last I heard, this very good woman principal has never been able to find another job. The CEO is now running a private consulting firm telling schools how to run themselves. The middle school lost an outstanding math eacher who had for several years refused the offer of a much higher salary at a much higher-ranked (public) school and finally decided this job was no longer worth it and accepted the better offer.

    Reply
15. ciedie aech says:

    March 16, 2016 at 1:56 pm

    What if the women are still there — but their voices are missing? ciedieaech.wordpress.com/2015/10/10/recycling-the-cycle-of-abuse

    Reply