2018 Volume 27 Pages 86-96
The purpose of this study is to examine why the rate of female principals increased from the 1990s to the 2000s. The study focuses on the professional movements of female teachers and “the support organizations for female teachers” that aim to attain gender equality in school.
In Oita prefecture, the focus of this investigation, the rate of female principals climbed more rapidly from the 1990s until the early 2010s than in any other prefecture. Additionally, the rate of members of the Japan Teachers Union in the area was also relatively high. By interviewing ten female elementary school principals and members of “the support organizations for female teachers” made of Japan Teachers Union female club and the retired female school principals club, this study makes the following observations.
Female principals in the 1990s had to protest gender inequality to progress with their careers. Cooperating with “the support organizations for female teachers”, they made efforts to increase the number of female principals to expand women’s rights.
Owing to the efforts made by female teachers in the 1990s, female teachers after the 2000s were able to obtain many different positions in their schools, and could be promoted to the principal level almost as smoothly as male teachers. They introduced gender equality education and attempted to provide female leaders as role models to their students. Cooperating activities between female teachers and supporting organizations decreased in the later 2000s because they did not think that further cooperation was necessary.
In conclusion, the factors that increased the rates of female principals in Oita prefecture from the 1990s until the 2010s were the efforts and solidarity of female teachers cooperating with supporting organizations. These factors were different from the policy of Gender Equality and the promotion of protection by the established Elite, which has been proposed by previous research.
