In the Spirit of Our Nation’s Children: A Study on National Diversity Leadership Standards and Superintendents 183children (Hill, 2005; National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force, 2004).
Implicit and explicit school practices influence schools’ interactions and communication
styles, creating assumptions which can serve as unintentional barriers to the education of
minorities, children living in poverty, and English Language Learners (Banks, 2004). Since
the majority of superintendents are both White and middle-class, they hold positions of
greater power and privilege, which serve as a way to maintain superior resources to maintain
themselves (Persell, 1977). For example, the majority of White students are educated in
predominantly White institutions, influencing preferences for socially appropriate behaviors
(Asante, 1991; Diaz, 2001). These social preferences include the presentation of Eurocentric
history perspectives, integrating rote learning strategies, tracking student performance, and
implementing rigid behavior modification techniques (Darling-Hammond, 1997; Kohn,
1994). School practices such as these are powerful influences that direct school leaders’
decision-making practices (Marshall & Oliva, 2006; Firestone & Riehl, 2005).
National leadership standards provide a context in which to understand their roles and
responsibilities. Superintendents are encouraged to promote a worthy vision clearly initiating
the development of strategic plans that assess the meaning of social attributes and the impact
on student achievement to determine whether or not the goals of the strategic plan are being
worked toward and met (Hoyle, English & Steffy, 1998). Superintendents are in key positions
to address intercultural issues facing marginalized populations through the creation of policies
that meet the needs of increasing marginalized populations (Wilmore, 2002). These polices
translate into decisions that influence school-wide pedagogical practices and student
outcomes with superintendents responsible for developing goals, directing the organization,
selecting the staff, and establishing and monitoring district-wide instructional and curricular
focus (Murphy & Hallinger, 1986). Because the majority of the nation’s superintendents are
White middle-class males, their hiring practices might express limited multicultural
commitments. In turn, this may influence who is hired and who is not hired; might influence
which values are shared with the new hire; and might create a misalignment between
expressed district values and functional behaviors. These practices suggest that personal
identity influences how school leaders understand how the intersections of race, class, and
gender, interact with policy reform, classroom practice, and student learning (Boykin, Tyler,
& Miller, 2005; Ferguson, 2003; Leonard, 2002; Noguera, 2003).
National leadership standards provide a guide for superintendents as they make decisions
regarding the hiring of personnel, assisting organizations to work collaboratively, and
enhancing student achievement. These are difficult tasks if equity is not visible within the
school system. While integrating diversity issues within administrator evaluations and/or
district expectations might be important, Darling-Hammond (2004) concluded that in light of
NCLB, simply providing a guide to promote diversity issues is not enough to eliminate
disparities among diverse student populations. Superintendents from primarily White middle-
class communities note that diversity is not relevant to their communities because of the high
majority of White students in their districts. These respondents perceive race as the major
component of emphasizing diversity. Harris and Kendall (1990) concluded that “unless the
superintendent attends to the well-being of equality and excellence, the crisis will worsen, and
children will go on dying, literally” (p. 58). The key to achieving equity for all children is
greatly dependent upon superintendents accepting and demonstrating its commitment through
action (Anderson, 1990), and should proceed with deliberate speed (Harris & Kendall, 1990).