Homosexuality and School Superintendents: A Brief History

Abstract

From the beginning, sexuality has been an important defining consideration in school administration. This article explores the history of the three ways in which sexuality has been a central force in shaping school administration. First, administrative work, in conjunction with teaching, paralleled the roles of men and women respectively in traditional married households. Second, over much of the past century, school administrators have been required to demonstrate notably masculine qualities, including married status, as their existence in a profession of women repeatedly has been questioned. Finally, over the past half century, school administrators also have been pressed to cleanse from the ranks of school workers those persons with nonmainstream sexualities and/or unconventional gender characteristics, which have been regarded as evidence of homosexuality.