Unwrapped: The Pursuit of Justice for Women Educators

Have you ever wondered why an educational industry dominated by women has a significantly low number of women in leadership? And have you ever wondered why these numbers are especially low for women of color? Women are entrusted with the care, nourishment, and development of our most precious customers, our children. Society has created a frame that women are caregivers, nurturers, and the primary bearers of raising the next generation but history and experiences have taught us that these same characteristics lauded as essential in the raising of our generations somehow cannot be translated to effective leadership. Countless policies, unwritten rules, practices, and experiences have paved a way for mistreatment, misogyny, and racism to seep into the educational system perpetuating a patriarchal environment and closing the door to access and opportunities for women in educational leadership.

Women make up more than 80% of teachers in the education field, yet less than 33% of them are in district leadership positions such as executive directors and school superintendents. And these numbers are dismal for women of color with only 5% percent of Black women are in leadership positions. Traditionally, women were relegated to classroom positions or quasi-leadership roles within the school or district offices, with men acquiring leadership positions. We have all heard similar stories of former sports coaches ascending the ranks of leadership to become the school principal and then eventually the superintendent with little teaching experience. Today, these high-level positions continue to be dominated by white males and in school districts predominantly enrolled with Black and Latinx students.

Unwrapped is a dual story by Kendra Washington-Bass and Kelly Peaks Horner that details their personal and professional journeys that have led them to unwrap how we have been conditioned to perpetuate these "isms" so that we can begin self-discovery, recovery, and eventually create an arena for women educational leaders to build positive and productive educational experiences that lead to equitable access for all students, especially our most marginalized. It's time we stop trying to fit into the "prototype" of acceptable leadership and leadership practices. And, instead, chart our own way. Create practices that allow us to thrive and achieve the success we desire. It's time to disrupt the traditional way leadership development and support are administered and ask for what we need and how we need it. We hope to not only impact you as an individual but also systems, like school boards, and structures, like school districts. We hope that our stories and experiences inspire reflection and action to dismantle the practices that prohibit our talents of leading and especially our own self-diminishing actions that prevent us from fully supporting each other.