<HTML>I am pleased to see that my original posting regarding women in
leadership positions in day schools has generated some discussion.
In response to David Katz's recent posting, I must object to the stated
need to "turn to the more substantive issue" of what makes an effective
principal. The issue of qualifications for educational leadership is a
pressing one, and one that deserves much attention. Yet, if every time
the issue of gender and leadership within the Orthodox community is raised
we feel that the issue begs redefinition, the very substantive issue of
gender and leadership will never be addressed directly.
The power structures of schools will obviously vary depending on
the size of the schools and the nature of the communities they serve.
When they are not seeking pure administrators (and clearly that is not
what we are talking about here) most schools seek out candidates with
smicha in their desire for a religious figure to determine the direction
of the school and to serve as a liaison to the community. At the same
time, it is imperative that schools seek out leaders (be it principal,
vice principal, head of limudei kodesh department, etc.) with educational
vision and professional capabilities beyond religious qualifications. A
reconsideration of the qualification of smicha for school leadership is
necessary. Yet, it would be absurd to envision an Orthodox day school
without religious figures at its helm.
The idea is not to construct a chiluk between religious leadership
and educational leadership so that we may accommodate women as
educational, but not religious leaders within our schools. Nor is it to
say that the sole requirements for day - school leadership be
professional qualifications. Such a dichotomy is unhealthy. Women who
have the appropriate religious and professional qualifications should be
afforded the opportunity to serve as school leaders. While there are
obviously societal constraints - it should perhaps be easier for us to
conceive of women leaders in the field of education than in other areas
within Orthodoxy. School leaders need not be "official" Rabbis or poskim,
but people who can engage in discourse with a learned community, and yes,
serve as a religious role model for both the community and the school - in
addition to professional qualifications. There is no reason that women
can not serve in both of these capacities.
Thus the substantive issue that I wished to raise was not "what is
the role of the principal," but that in many cases women are being
excluded from these roles, no matter how they are defined. There is just
a general sense of uncomfortability with women in positions of power,
especially when we are not dealing with all-girls schools. I trust that
we can address issues of gender in education head-on and not circumvent
them or view them as a "powder keg."
Lisa Schlaff
graduate student Rabbinic literature NYU and Drisha</HTML>
