The gender of the principal makes no difference. But too many principals really don't understand the effects of their decisions. I have to be ready for a combined Open House/Back to School Night on Wednesday, August 22, after having spent an estimated total of nine hours in the days before that in staff training. If I do go into school on the first day, Friday the 17th, which of course I will do, even though it is a work from home day (which makes no sense), I will have that day with no IA help and then 6 hours altogether to be ready for that event, while needing to collaborate with my team for the presentation and set up my room, and do a million other things. Why can't we have the traditional back to school thing later in the month and have the families visit the school for Open House on Friday???? That's just the tip of the iceberg of the decisions that don't make sense for the classroom teachers. Too many principals are just too far removed from the actual classroom job, or were PE teachers and never ran an elementary classroom. I have to read all the IEPs and be ready for every parent of a special ed kid by Wed....but I love the kids and my colleagues.

OP, I am an LCPS parent at an Eastern Loudoun Elementary with a long-time female principal. Parents are unhappy with her and staff departures seem to be incredibly high including recent departure of AP. Survey feedback for this school compared to rest of county is low as it relates to school administration. Don’t want to make you out yourself but curious if this is same school.

Let me plant the possibility that there is something central office sees in / wants from these principals that is at odds with what the teaching staff might want (like cleaning house).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.

I agree with the second poster. I work in a school that has had a revolving door (although we're finally steadying up now). Our 2 worst principals have been female and male. Both were completely off the scale in terms of how bad they were. The only difference was that in addition to being psycho the male principal sexually harassed some of the younger female teachers and perhaps even a few students. The female principal was just nuts. I don't think the vetting and supervision process is strong enough for these positions. School systems need to do personality testing before hiring and I think they need to come in mid-year and do a quick 360. Both of these two worst principals set off alarms just speaking to them in the hallway before interviewing let alone once they assumed their positions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.

Sounds like my female principal. I heard the leadership team got an earful this summer at their meetings and the whole staff is going to hear the same thing at our first staff meeting. Then she’ll take it out on us all year long. Yay, can’t wait. .

That’s what passive-aggression is for. Get creative.

Suggestions?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.

Sounds like my female principal. I heard the leadership team got an earful this summer at their meetings and the whole staff is going to hear the same thing at our first staff meeting. Then she’ll take it out on us all year long. Yay, can’t wait. .

That’s what passive-aggression is for. Get creative.

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

Yep, female.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

Hands down, this just the stupidest thing I’ve read on DCUM in a long while. It’s embarrassing that someone with such a lack of critical thinking skills and misogyny works on education.

I have been in public school education for almost 30 years, first as a classroom teacher and then as an administrator. I’ve worked for 3 female and 2 male principals. The worst was a woman and the absolute best was a woman. I’m a principal now in FCPS, and have had 3 asst superintentents—2 women, 1 make. One of the women was awful, the other was excellent and the male is outstanding.

If you look at the Engagement Survey (an anonymous survey given to employees asking about the working conditions and leadership) , you will find that there is awful leadership by both men and women. And you find the same with excellent principals—both women and men are demonstrating this.

It's not a lack of critical thinking. It's my experience. Yours has been different.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.

Now that's funny.

Right?!!? I'm sure next year's survey will be better!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.

Now that's funny.

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

Hands down, this just the stupidest thing I’ve read on DCUM in a long while. It’s embarrassing that someone with such a lack of critical thinking skills and misogyny works on education.

I have been in public school education for almost 30 years, first as a classroom teacher and then as an administrator. I’ve worked for 3 female and 2 male principals. The worst was a woman and the absolute best was a woman. I’m a principal now in FCPS, and have had 3 asst superintentents—2 women, 1 make. One of the women was awful, the other was excellent and the male is outstanding.

If you look at the Engagement Survey (an anonymous survey given to employees asking about the working conditions and leadership) , you will find that there is awful leadership by both men and women. And you find the same with excellent principals—both women and men are demonstrating this.

Anonymous wrote:Ughh I can relate so bad. Some of the PD we are required to go to is so unhelpful. I love education, but if some of the PD is where its going I want out.

This is true of every profession, not just teaching. Teaching is my second career. Most trainings I had to go to in my prior career were inapplicable to my clients/the community I served. I provided feedback, but nothing ever materialized that was useful.

Ughh I can relate so bad. Some of the PD we are required to go to is so unhelpful. I love education, but if some of the PD is where its going I want out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.

Sounds like my female principal. I heard the leadership team got an earful this summer at their meetings and the whole staff is going to hear the same thing at our first staff meeting. Then she’ll take it out on us all year long. Yay, can’t wait. .

Anonymous wrote:Op is your admin female? I am a feminist to my core so it pains me to say this but most of the worst schools to work in are led by women. There is something about female admin that just tanks school culture.

I don't agree with this- I've worked for good female and male principals and bad female and male principals. My current principal is male and yelled at us for answering the anonymous staff survey with any negative feedback. He takes no responsibility for why teacher morale is so low.