In the Spirit of Our Nation’s Children: A Study on National Diversity Leadership Standards and Superintendents 187promoting the success of all children (<.05) and the ability and willingness to reject any
arguments of a one-to-one correlation between race and culture or race and intelligence (<.01)
than respondents working in suburban and rural school districts. Respondents who identified
themselves as Asian, Black, Native-American, Hispanic, Biracial, Multiracial or others’
(racial minorities) weighted means were compared to that of White respondents. Respondents
who self-identified as racial minorities had significantly lower weighted means for both the
ability and willingness to reject any arguments of a one-to-one correlation between race and
culture or race and intelligence (<.05) and the commitment to hire, supervise, and retain
competent personnel who are dedicated to promoting the success of all children (<.05) than
their White counterparts. Respondents who self-identified as being homeless, living on
welfare and/or identifying themselves as lower class throughout childhood were categorized
as lower class. Respondents identified as lower class throughout their childhood had
significantly lower weighted means for the ability and willingness to reject any arguments of a
one-to-one correlation between race and culture or race and intelligence (<.05); awareness and
willingness to face the tension, conflict and consequences that may arise due to differing
cultures, folkways, and styles (<.05); and the recognition and demonstration of pedagogical
characteristics and approaches that establish equity (<.05) than respondents from middle and
upper class backgrounds. Respondents who identified as other than Christian had a weighted
means that was significantly lower for the recognition and demonstration of pedagogical
characteristics and approaches that establish equity (<.05).
A one-way ANOVA analysis was also run to examine whether or not superintendents with
companions/spouses/significant others who were different than their race had different
weighted means for the diversity elements within the national leadership standards. Only 5%
of the total population identified themselves as having a companion/spouse/significant other
in their lives identified as a different race. The standard focusing on the commitment to hire,
supervise, and retain competent personnel who are dedicated to promoting the success of all
children was significant at .068, but due to the limited number of respondents who meet this
criteria, this is something to consider for future analyses.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this study was to investigate what superintendents considered the
most/least important diversity elements within the national leadership standards and examine
differences, if any, between respondents according to their personal heritage
responses/personal background. In this study, superintendents projected similar increases in
the number of children living in poverty, identified as racial minorities, and ELLs as national
projections (NCES, 2005; U.S. Census Bureau, 2005). These projections confirm the urgency
for future superintendents to acquire cultural knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will
assist them in their roles as 21st century superintendents (Kowalski, 2003). New knowledge
and skills are essential to understanding the complexities associated with culture (Lopez,
2003). With over 90 percent of respondents identified as White, male, middle/upper class, and
rural/suburban, they might not perceive a need to think about diversity in their school
districts. They in turn, might focus on local community concerns, overlooking how increasing
demographic changes will influence public schools nationwide.
The respondents’ personal heritage/personal background characteristics seemed to reflect
the monocultural composition of the school districts they served. In this study, the issue of
promoting diversity may be a moot point. Superintendents may be embedded within
traditional bureaucratic school systems, with set norms and expectations that reflect White,