Attuned to the Presidential Message

School Administrator, May, 1999

Attuned to the Presidential Message

For each of the last few years, we have devoted an issue of The School Administrator to an examination of the year-long theme selected by AASA's president. Last year the focus was promoting good character through schools. The year before we looked at the role of educators in advocating for children. This issue carries on that custom.

When Dan Domenech assumed the association's leadership last summer, he selected as his guiding theme, "Diversity: Challenges and Opportunities." That hardly qualified as a mysterious choice for Domenech, who came to this country as an emigre from Cuba. He's written cogently about his personal experiences in several President's Corner columns.

Domenech talks of being amazed by the "rite of passage" mentality that forces new immigrants to struggle mightily to earn their position in our society, just as other immigrant groups did before them. "It doesn't have to be that way," he says. "Certainly, not when our children are involved."

He argues that our nation can ill afford to waste any human capital, meaning schools must embrace the diversity that now is so common in many local communities.

Here we turn to the nation's leading thinkers on multiculturalism and diversity in our public schools. You will recognize some of the names from their frequent forays on the education conference circuit and the published works they have generated over the years. We believe it is an impressive lineup of contributors and hope you will find their words have relevance for your leadership role.

Jay P. Goldman

Voice: 703-875-0745

E-mail: jgoldman@aasa.org