Cracks in the Glass Ceiling
by Cindy Finn
March 8th has long been recognized as International Women’s Day. In some parts of the world, March is now becoming known as Women’s History Month. The question deserves to be asked: do we need a day to honour women, acknowledge the female voice, and celebrate our accomplishments? I would say yes, because there is a still a need to affirm women and drive change towards equality.
It pains me to make such a statement in 2024 for I grew up in a familial and societal context that impressed upon me the power of my potential, and that of my sisters, both literal and metaphorical. My parents were steadfast in their messaging that girls can accomplish anything we set out to do and follow any career path. My teachers and extended family also sent signals loud and clear that all that was required was for us to set personal goals, work hard, and we would achieve these aspirations. Those positive messages certainly helped to motivate me to complete my education and pursue professional goals that brought me to the privileged position I occupy today.
Although I benefited from this support which in turn lowered or removed some barriers for me, such personal drivers are not sufficient. The reality is that gender-based inequalities persist. There are still structural and systemic obstacles that girls and women face which limit their opportunities to flourish and thrive. We need only to look at media reports on any given day to see that gender-based violence continues to affect those who identify as women at a much higher rate than those who identify as male. Overlay these statistics with rates of discrimination and aggression toward females who are also from racialized or from LQBTQ2S+ communities, and the situation is even more dire. Economically, depending on which study you read, a woman earns anywhere between .84-.90 cents for every dollar paid to a man. That gap shrinks or grows if you factor in other variables such as age, level of education, and type of occupation. Despite a decades-long trend that now sees more women attending and completing post-secondary degrees than men, women do not always feel welcome in certain professions and do not assume leadership positions at the same rate as men.
In my own field, there are inequities to be addressed. I have spent almost the last 25 years in education, a profession whose work force is overwhelmingly female. Salary equality and underrepresentation have long been causes that unions and teacher federations have championed. According to recent statistics, over 70% of teachers in Canada are women. However, when we look at the number of women who assume leadership positions in education, that percentage declines significantly. U.S. data indicate that approximately only 54% of principals and vice-principals are female. According to 2022 survey results shared by the American Association of School Administrators, the number of women who go on to occupy a senior executive role in education such as that of Director General, Superintendent, or CEO (the terms are interchangeable), drops further to 24%.
As I say, growing up I saw little of this inequity and did not really have experiences that contradicted the positive core messages of my youth. However, as my professional journey took me through various positions of responsibility and leadership, I began to see and experience signs that gender inequality does indeed exist. At times it is subtle, other times it is more apparent, but I am now more aware and convinced than ever that our efforts toward equality, diversity, dignity, and inclusion must include looking at gender stereotypes, gender bias, discrimination, and misogyny.
Shortly after I was named Director General in 2019, I received an email from a colleague, a female leader with whom I had previously worked. The theme of her message was a celebratory one, but she also shared something more solemn. She wrote, “For several years now, I have been advocating for women to take on leadership positions in education. Since the majority of teachers are women, it is important to have leaders who represent them”. I can honestly that say up until that point, I had not considered the issue of representation and that I was now in a position to model and foster female leadership.
I was reminded of this recently when Hannah, a graduating student from one of our high schools, wrote to me to express her zeal for education and share her dream of becoming a teacher. In large part, she attributes her future career choice to her positive experiences as a student in Lester B. Pearson schools. In her words, this is where she learned that “nobody has more rights than another person or less rights than another person, because everyone is equal”. As a future teacher, she wishes to impart that message to her students. As a senior leader in education, I see it as my role to support students like Hannah and empower all women in our field to continue chipping away at that glass ceiling.
It is my sincere wish that as a community, we all continue to take steps to change the status quo and create a world where indeed all people are seen, valued and treated equally, regardless of gender affiliation.
