Wait, what? WA doesn’t require school superintendents to have classroom experience

How can you run a school district if you’ve never taught in a classroom?

I read something this weekend that made me stop. State Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, is considering legislation that would establish new certification requirements for school superintendents, including training in teaching.

Wait, what? This wasn’t already required?

We’re talking about the person responsible for teachers, principals, students, discipline, and policy. How do you make decisions about what happens inside a classroom if you don’t truly understand what it’s like to stand in one?

Here’s what I’ve learned about a classroom. There can be 20-plus kids who walk through the door with 20-plus different realities. Some hungry, some struggling, and some just bored. Want to know who knows better than most? TEACHERS!

I see the same problem with public safety. We have people making major decisions about policing, crime, and homelessness with little to no understanding of what it’s like to live in a neighborhood dealing with those issues every day. The closer you are to the consequences of a decision, the more valuable your perspective should become when that decision is being made.

Imagine an NFL head coach who has studied football his entire life, but has barely been around a football team. Well, when the team is 3-7, and the locker room is falling apart, if you’ve never been around a football team, then it’s going to be a problem.

I’m not saying every superintendent must spend 20 years teaching. I’m saying leaders should have meaningful firsthand understanding of the people and environments they’re leading. If you’re in charge of classroom policy, then spend time with teachers or in classrooms.

The bottom line is: If you’re going to lead the classroom, you should know what it feels like to stand in it.

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