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- Title
The queering of the superintendency: Exploring the professional experiences of gay superintendents and their perspectives on being “out” at work.
- Authors
Lauk, Raymond
- Abstract
Increasing numbers of educational leaders who identify as LGBTQ+ are assuming the school superintendency. The article shares selected findings from interviews with eight current or retired school superintendents who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The article addresses issues of work life implications, discrimination they experienced, and how their sexual orientation impacts their leadership capacity. Some of these superintendents openly embraced their sexual orientation and attribute it to their success as a leader. They feel a greater sensitivity to individuals who are bullied, and in some cases see themselves as a “protector” of LGBTQ+ students. Others have decided that their sexual orientation is a private, personal subject and wish to be judged on their performance as a leader rather than as the “gay superintendent.” Regardless of their experiences, they all attribute some of their success as a superintendent to their experiences as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Drawing on Queer Theory, this article explores the intersection of sexual identity and leadership in the relatively unstudied level of executive school leadership.
- Subjects
SCHOOL superintendents; LGBTQ+ students; SEXUAL orientation; QUEER theory; EDUCATIONAL leadership; LGBTQ+ communities
- Publication
Kentucky Journal of Excellence in College Teaching & Learning, 2023, Vol 19, p97
- ISSN
1943-7943
- Publication type
Article