Deterrents to women's careers in school management

Abstract

There always have been more women than men schoolteachers since the Civil War. Yet the management of our schools always has been dominated by men. There is a prevailing social norm that management is a man's job. Today in education this norm is reinforced by an increasing number of men in the profession and a decreasing number of administrative positions available due to district consolidation. Women are not administrators because many women do not actively seek administrative jobs and because there are forces in the profession perpetuating a cycle which encourages men and discourages women seeking administrative positions. This article describes the operation of those forces which deter women's entrance and advancement in careers of public school administration.