While reading my grad school assignment this week, I began thinking about a quotation. This week we are reading articles to help us historically contextualize the role of the principal within our schools. In a very interesting article entitled “The Principalship in Historical Perspective,” Judith Kafka writes “The history of the school principal demonstrates that although specific pressures might be new, the call for principals to accomplish great things with little support, and to be all things to all people, is certainly not. What is new is the degree to which schools are expected to resolve society’s social and educational inequities in a market-based environment.” (328)
I find it so interesting to think of the scope of the principal’s job and completely agree with Kafka that the role of the school principal is growing without the growing support. There job is getting infinitely more complex and difficult. I think Arlington principals are so talented and are meeting this challenge with great vision and drive.
Please let me know what you think of the quotation. I would especially love to hear from some principals.
Judith Kafka (2009): The Principalship in Historic Prespective, Peabody Journal of Education, 84:3, 318-330
Ben Helfat 
I agree with the quote. I think the role of schools, and the principals and teachers who work in them, has increased tremendously by having to deal with increasing inequalities in society–in housing, health care, crime and punishment, access to ‘middle class’ jobs, etc–that affect students’ ability to learn.