Choices: A Dilemma of Women Agricultural Education Teachers.

In a non-traditional field for women such as agricultural education, the concept of feminist research provides a lens to better regard issues such as balancing family and work life. This study is an attempt to systematically process the individual stories and reflections of women agricultural education teachers across America. Qualitative techniques including historical research and selected survey statements were used to accomplish the objectives of the study. Society has reached an impasse dealing with working women. A mother is supposed to be a caregiver, but in today’s economy she is often expected to be a wage earner. The unique challenges that face the working woman, in a non-traditional field, are reflected through the comments and opinions of the women involved in this study. Introduction Over in the meadow in the sand and the sun lived an old mother turtle and her little turtle one. "Dig," said the mother, "I dig," said the one; So he dug and was happy in the sand and the sun. Over in the meadow where the tall grass grew lived an old mother red fox and her little foxes two. "Run," said the mother, "We run," said the two; So they ran and were glad where the tall grass grew. Over in the meadow in a warm little den lived an old mother rabbit and her little bunnies ten. "Hop," said the mother, "We hop," said the ten; So they hopped and were glad in their little warm den. (Langstaff, J., 1957) Children grow and learn from simple songs and nursery rhymes. As they mature into adults their values and work ethic are often molded and guided from those early nursery rhymes (Wolf, 1949). Traditionally, boys become men and are seen as responsible for the livelihood of their families. Girls become women and are blessed with the responsibilities of motherhood. In the opening rhyme, the message sent is clear. Not only are mothers expected to care for their children, they are responsible for basic life skills training. There is not even a mention of the fathers’ duties. Society spent 7000 years creating this image (Johnson, 1997). How does this image fit into the life of a working woman? Theoretical Framework Feminist researchers often pose questions that relate to the centrality of gender in the shaping of our consciousness. The aim of this ideological research is to “correct both the invisibility and distortion of female experience in ways relevant to ending women’s unequal social position” (Creswell, 1998, p. 83.). In a non-traditional field for women such as agricultural education, the concept of feminist research provides a lens to better regard issues such as balancing family and work life. Perhaps this paper is best described as a phenomenological study. This paper, is an attempt to systematically process the individual stories and reflections of women agricultural education teachers across America. In May of 2000, surveys from a basic descriptive study designed to develop a profile of women in agricultural education began to arrive in the Department of Agricultural Education at the University of Arizona. As the surveys were opened and readied for entry into an SPSS analysis program, it became apparent that an interesting phenomenon had occurred. Women agricultural education teachers from across the United States did more than complete the simple survey. They chose to pen their thoughts and feelings regarding a Foster Choices: A Dilemma of Women. Journal of Agricultural Education 2 Volume 42, Issue 3, 2001 number of topics in the extra space and margins of the survey instrument. The information contained in these comments was so rich with insight, the researcher decided to log the comments and found that 1093 different comments were penned from 579 completed surveys. Those comments were divided into similar topics and this paper will address the segment that revolved around family, children and personal aspects of the subjects’ lives. The original survey enjoyed a return rate in excess of sixty percent. Issued at one of the busiest times of the year for agricultural education teachers, the fact the survey garnered such a vast number of unsolicited comments was indicative of the high level of emotion attached to the issues that surfaced. As the researcher sorted the comments, similarities of personal experience and the experiences and concerns that were voiced by the women’s comments led to the emergence of questions regarding women in agricultural education. Do women in agricultural education face different issues than men? Are the challenges women face acknowledged by their male counterparts and their administrators? How far will women go in trying to balance their personal life and family with their chosen career? According to the United States Department of Labor, the passage of the 19 amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote, provided the precedent for other legislation aimed at improving the conditions of women. Legislation in the early 1960’s opened up more job opportunities for women. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 provided for equal pay for equal work without regard to sex. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects workers from discrimination in employment. The passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, prohibiting sex discrimination in public education, allowed women to obtain greater opportunities to educate themselves for a wider array of occupational specialties (USDL Women’s Bureau, 2000). However, none of these laws provide for the intricate and delicate balancing act of the working mother. Realizing this, the researcher returned to the comments penned by the women surveyed. I am considering leaving my much loved ag position because it has been impossible to be the mother I want and need to be, and to be the ag teacher I feel is expected of me—one who sacrifices a personal life for a job. I love kids & I love teaching them about ag—but, I feel we need to, as a profession, decide how to support a well balanced family life. I do not feel like my family comes first—that is, I feel I am frowned upon for choosing family over “the job. ” -Discouraged, possibly leaving position comment The challenge of balancing family life and career is not unique to agricultural education. Joyce Purnick, keynote speaker for the graduating class of Barnard College in New York, set off a controversy when she stated “I am absolutely convinced that I would not be the Metro editor of the New York Times if I had had a family. ” The lesson of her experience, she advised the young women was, “You cannot have it all. ” (Dowd, 1998). This viewpoint was echoed by the comment of one seasoned female agricultural education teacher: . respect for education should be stressed. Competence and credibility will make successful teachers. All teachers of agriculture must be willing to work hard, give up personal time, and take the heat as role models not “yes” people. Women and men must be able and willing to do the job. The job shouldn’t change because women aren’t comfortable with the work load. If they choose motherhood they must sacrifice either career time or child time just as the men have. — Advice based on experience comment Although both men and women can become loving parents, the mother’s role is unique as the major caregiver providing nurturing to young children (Johnson, 1997). At this point the researcher’s perspective shifted to include the realization that many of the issues facing women in agricultural education, as a non-traditional field, are the Foster Choices: A Dilemma of Women. Journal of Agricultural Education 3 Volume 42, Issue 3, 2001 same as issues facing any working woman in today’s society. This led to the formation of more questions: Do all women face the same issues regarding family? Does society expect women to maintain the dual roles of full-time wife and mother and full-time, devoted agricultural education teacher? Is all responsibility for maintaining those roles directed to the women who choose that path? Again the concepts of feminist ethnography arise. By describing and raising questions about women’s multiple identities this study leads toward the development of action frameworks in the interest of realizing social justice for women (Glesne, 1999). Historically, women enter the labor force, then leave to care for their families and return to work later in life. However, the 1980’s noted the change of this pattern to one that more often mirrored the pattern of men in the labor force. That pattern reflects a gradual increase to a peak career point followed by a gradual decline, with the participation being continual throughout their career life (USDL Women’s Bureau, 2000). Today’s working woman is faced with maintaining a traditional family role and developing a new niche for her role as mother and career professional. Whatever route chosen, there will always be sacrifices. The following quotes reflect opinions of professional journalists interviewed as successful women in their field: You have to be well organized and husband your time. It isn’t easy. But it is possible, and not only that, it is necessary. The country can’t afford to have women opt out of either work or family. The world is too competitive to quit for a few years and expect to get back on the treadmill. A professional life can be postponed or delayed until at least your child is in the fifth or sixth year of life.Those early years are so extraordinarily important, I don’t think the child’s loss can be justified by the fact that a mother has become a “success”. There are days when I feel split in half. But I think I’m a better employee and manager because I’ve raised children. It helps you understand more about motivation, stimulation, negotiation, discipline and patience.You also need to find a work environment that’s supportive of family. They exist. (Dowd,1998, p. 22). The juggling act of balancing family and career is not unique to women in agricultural education. It is a very real dilemma fo