Some Things I Have Learned

Seventy-Seven years of living has given me a number of experiences that I would like to share with you. They are not sure fire suggestions for success but perhaps combined with your experiences and those from other sources, it is my hope that you find some of them helpful. I have tried to distill them into some simple saying that should be easily remembered and applied. You will find upon examination that these are not unique to me but you too have had or observed the same or similar experiences in your life  or the lives of others.

If you are the only one, it only means that you are surrounded. You probably feel alone and isolated.

If you are the first one you should not act as if you are the last one. You should not act if you are the unofficial gatekeeper. You should act as the gate opener to ensure that others follow you through the gate. There will be enough gatekeeper already there.

We should not have to suffer from the starting from scratch syndrome. Each generation should be able to build on the gains and achievements of the previous generation and not have to start from scratch and suffer the same missteps, stumbles and slips.  We should not have to suffer the starting from what I call, "the starting from scratch syndrome".

Each of us needs a mentor and/or a sponsor. None of us got to where we are without a mentor and/or a  sponsor. This was never made clearer than my experience in studying Black school superintendents and working in graduate education at the University of Michigan. I guess to be honest my first glimpse of this phenomenon was growing up in Baton Rouge observing the bricklayers, plasterers, cement finishers, painters and other skilled building trade workers training their sons, relatives and sons of friends to work in their trades. Antoine Garibaldi and I talked about doing a study on that Louisiana phenomenon. I don't know if he ever did the study.

Working with a superintendent search firm provided evidence that there were king makers in this field. There were professors of educational administration who mentored and sponsored many aspiring superintendents. It was also made clear that when one reached a certain level on the career ladder that an unsolicited application for positions was like the kiss of death. You do not apply for these positions you are nominated for those positions by your mentor/sponsor. We sometimes have a problem serving as mentors or sponsors for others.

It is my belief that in order to be an effective mentor or sponsor to someone you have to enter that relationship with the hope, desire and expectation that the person that you are mentoring will someday surpass you. If you cannot accept that fact and work to ensure that your mentee will someday surpass you, you cannot truly mentor anyone. Your desire to be top dog forever will get in your way of helping another in his/her career quest.

Forty two years ago when I became interested in studying Black School superintendents I wanted to know what were the conditions necessary in school districts before a Black would be named superintendent. I had a very progressive advisor, mentor and dissertation chair, Bill Hazard, who let me do this unconventional. It was not only unconventional in its subject matter but it was unconventional in the fact that there were only twenty-one Black School Superintendents in the United States out 21,000 plus school superintendents.

The conditions found to be necessary in school district before a Black superintendent was named were:

     1. The school district has a financial deficit.

     2. An increase in Title I funds received by the school  district. Meaning there are more poor or low            income students in the district.

     3. The non-white student population was in the majority.

     4. The non-white population of the community is in the majority or projections indicate it will soon    

         will be.

      5. There is a majority non-white school board.

      6. The non-white teaching staff increased significantly prior to the appointment of the Black

          superintendent.

      7. There is a significant increase in the percentage of Black administrators.

Over the years my wife and I and I guess many others began to observe the conditions that were in place before an African American was elected mayor of a major city, governor of a state or President of the United States of America.

We can honestly believe and have our children and our other mentees truly believe that the sky is the limit as far their career mobility is concerned. Let us pledge to use all of our knowledge, skills and wisdom to move this generation of our young people to the next level. The struggle continues.