Katz, s. (march 2010). women superintendents: standing for social  (Page 2/9)

Theoretical framework

Standpoint theory, emerging from feminist critical theory in the 1970s and 1980s, has been proposed as an explanatory theory and as a methodology to guide future feminist research. As a critical theory, it delves into relations between the production of knowledge and practices of power. Feminist standpoint theory has been used as a framework for empowering oppressed groups to value their experiences. Giving these groups recognition and voice can be an important source of critical insight (Harding, 2004). Feminist standpoint theorists claim that there are important things to learn from taking seriously the perspectives of all marginalized groups. Starting from their predicaments, knowledge drawn from these groups will be richer than knowledge that draws only on the insights of privileged groups alone (Anderson, 2007). “Views of the social world generated from the perspective of dominant interests are not false, but partial. The marginalized have contact with different aspects of social reality-aspects that are more revealing of the ways the status quo is unjust.” (Hartsock cited in Anderson, 2007, para 20).

Because women represent 75% of the teachers across the U.S., and because teaching is the first pathway to the position of superintendent, women are underrepresented and could be considered a marginalized group in the superintendency. Women who have attained the position have described their journeys in achieving the top job in education as having both internal and external barriers they must face and overcome (Brunner, 1998a and 1998b, Shakeshaft, 1989; Wesson&Grady, 1994; Katz, 2004). Because of these troubling aspects, it was my contention that women have an interesting perspective on issues of social justice due to gender, class, and race discrimination in achieving, maintaining, and even thriving in their positions as superintendents. It was also my contention that women school leaders might provide important critical insight when addressing the question of how leaders support and promote social justice.

Research design

The purpose of this study was to understand how women superintendents support and promote social justice and democratic community in their school districts. Questions that related to this study were: What social justice issues do women superintendents identify as problems in their school districts? What are the problems and issues women superintendents face in working toward social justice? What centers or grounds these leaders? What are their worldviews? How do background and life experiences contribute to successful leadership practices for social justice?

Three different sets of school district level criteria were used to choose participants: the student population in the district was diverse and achievement scores were below the state average for disaggregated groups, the student population in the district was diverse and scores across all disaggregated groups were at or above the state average, the district had mostly students of color and the majority of the district’s teachers were White (which is not unusual in most districts).