|
COPYRIGHT 2007 American Association of School Administrators
"I will come back. I just need a year to jump start my doctoral studies," I promised the superintendent when I requested a leave of absence.
In reality, though, I didn't know if I would, if I could, return to my administrative job with the school district. I was tired and depressed from feeling like I was beating my head against the wall. I was confused as to my mission, had lost my passion and felt more like a bureaucrat than an educator. I needed a break. Perhaps a forever break from public education.
My request for a leave of absence was a surprise to many, but mostly to me. I had had a long successful career in the district, a 4,400-student system in upstate New York, north of Albany. Given the conditions under which administrators in many other districts labor, I had it pretty good. I respected and had the support of the superintendent and the board of education. I worked in a growing, financially solvent district with strong community support. I had a solid reputation as a student advocate and community organizer, having orchestrated three successful bond issue campaigns. My colleagues were dedicated and knowledgeable. I supervised a competent staff that supported my vision and each other.
A Lost Passion
So what was the problem? The problem was, and is, inherent in public organizations. Simply put, my job had too few tangible rewards, too many immutable deadlines and too much public scrutiny.
As a school district administrator, I attended 24 board of education meetings every year where topics such as competitive bids and leaky roofs were on the front burner due to their immediacy or financial implications. I watched with dismay as dedicated school board members and administrators were criticized unfairly in public, demonstrating...
Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.
|
Bookmark this article
Print this article
Link to this article
Email this article
Digg It!
Add to del.icio.us
RSS
