Barriers

Read the case study in Chapter 14 from Northouse & Lee (2021). Use the questions following the case study to guide your discussion. Do not copy and paste or repeat the questions in your post but instead create a narrative based on the questions. Case Study CASE 14.1 PRE-K–12 CONCENTRATION “MY GIRL” Pat Andrews is the comptroller of the 3,000-student River Valley Community School System. She has been with the public school system for 10 years, having started as a secretary. The first member of her family to go to college, Pat is proud of her achievements and has risen to a level in her career beyond what she dreamed possible. Pat had been comptroller for five years when Henry Dalton was hired as River Valley’s superintendent of schools and became Pat’s boss. Henry immediately recognized Pat’s work ethic and value to the district. He encouraged Pat to strengthen her skills by engaging in professional development opportunities and earning a master’s degree in educational leadership. Henry even took extra time to assist Pat with her classwork and proofread her thesis. When Pat graduated, Henry presented her with a leather-bound copy of her thesis and a pair of pearl earrings. In the card accompanying the gifts, Henry wrote, “I always knew ‘My Girl’ could do it. Congratulations!” Despite calling her “My Girl,” Pat and Henry’s relationship has always been very professional. They do not see one another outside the office, other than the occasional office function, where spouses and families are also present. Pat had expected that once she had a master’s degree, a promotion would surely be close behind, either to assistant superintendent of River Valley or as a comptroller for the entire school district. Henry often speaks of looking out for Pat’s interests and assisting her in finding a more prestigious position. But a year goes by, and so do a number of opportunities for Pat to advance, and nothing comes of them. The River Valley Community School System is now preparing to ask the community to vote on a bond issue, and Henry asks the school board to approve a new position to oversee a campaign explaining the bond issue to the voters and to ensure its passage. Pat is certain that the job will be hers. Instead, Henry brings in Mark Andrews, a former colleague from Henry’s previous district. When Pat asks Henry why he didn’t consider her, he remarks that he doesn’t know what he’d do without “his girl” right where she is, by his side. Henry frequently seeks out Pat’s thoughts and suggestions on projects, but Pat has begun to become more aware that she rarely receives credit for her ideas. Pat’s female coworkers see her as a leader, and often come to her for advice.

But in staff meetings, when Pat’s experience and education give her unique insight into the topic at hand, her male colleagues seem to not acknowledge that she has spoken. In the end, many of the important decisions are made on the golf course after work, or on Fridays at the guys’ favorite tap house. None of the women in the office are ever invited to these informal functions. Pat’s master’s degree has earned her more responsibility in the office with a slight increase in pay, but it has not brought her the expected promotion. Of the women in her office, Pat holds the highest position of responsibility, but it was a position she held before Henry arrived. During Henry’s tenure, the only promotions women have received have been lateral ones (e.g., better secretarial positions). Henry frequently remarks in public that “his gals” are the best around, and do all the “real work” of the district. He praises them often, treats them to lunch, and will leave flowers on their desks. But acknowledgement in the form of pay raises or career advancement is not forthcoming. Pat is grateful to Henry; without his encouragement, she doubts she would have ever pursued her master’s degree. But she is bewildered by the lack of respect she now feels from him and wonders what happened to all the promises he had alluded to regarding the future of her career.   —Anne Lape, Educator Questions Did Pat’s relationship with Henry help her career or hold her back? Defend your answer. How is the labyrinth illustrated in Henry’s treatment of the women of the River Valley Community School System? How should Pat handle the barriers she is encountering from her male coworkers? Advanced Questions 4. What career steps would you advise Pat to take? Specifically, how should she approach her relationship with Henry? 5. Could this case be an illustration of what Simon and Hoyt (2022) describe as the “incongruity between the female gender role and the leadership role” (p. 406)? Defend your answer. 6. Describe what type of organizational changes could be made to benefit Pat and other women in her division. Who would need to initiate those changes, and how should they do it? Use the following references: Northouse, P. G., & Lee, M. (2021). Leadership Case Studies in Education (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781071816806 Youssef, M. (2013). The Leadership Style of Jesus. Harvest House Publishers. https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9780736952316