Ken Hood: Democratic Hero

The recent passing of Rosa Parks diminished my pantheon of heroines by one. Her choice to keep sitting down for what was right has often served as a beacon to remind me that in a democratic America, participation is what defines a democracy.

And her death prompted me to reflect on some of my other revolutionary heroes and how they too influence me. What follows is a paean to one of my heroes who has taught me myriad lessons about serving as an educational leader, a man who has influenced me by continuously standing up for what he believes is right - the idea that a democratic America is made possible by democratic schools.

These days Dr. Ken Hood might be easily mistaken for an avuncular old man. Though he has been retired for a decade, he retains many of the idiosyncratic trappings of the professoriate: his hair refuses to be disciplined, his clothes are perpetually rumpled, and a cup of black coffee is always within easy reach.

Topped by an undisciplined shock of white hair, Hood's face is creased, evidence of the many seasons he has spent outdoors curved over his beloved garden, fertilizing the soil, assiduously nurturing his prized dwarf sunflowers and beloved heirloom tomatoes. Stooped a bit around the shoulders and sporting a small paunch, there are only a few hints that Hood was once a superb athlete and a demanding coach. But when you take his hand, the strength in his grip and the glint animating his pale blue eyes offer incontrovertible evidence that the vitality coursing through him has not dimmed with age.

Hood grew up in the hardscrabble projects of East Boston, taught middle and high school math and science, and served as principal and superintendent of several districts before earning a doctorate. He then entered the world of academia where he taught education classes and was appointed the Dean of a College of Education.

Since retiring, Hood has worked as an advisor to a variety of international universities. In addition, he has become more and more committed to the ideals of peace and recently co-founded a non-profit Peace Academy, which is focused on teaching conflict resolution and advocacy skills to students of all ages. His commitments both to exploring other cultures and to working for a more peaceful world are evidence of Hood's conviction that education is a means to a moral world and that educators, above all others, should practice values-based leadership.

Hood's career has been predicated on his passion to ensure that all students believe that the education they are receiving will enable them to access the personal, social, and economic opportunities promised by a democratic society that emphasizes education as an avenue to the American Dream. For Hood, the American Dream - the possibility that, in America, anyone can be successful - is the most democratic of dreams, and, for Hood, the responsibility of schools is not only to communicate knowledge but also to ensure that American students have access to the American Dream.

As are most educators, Hood is a revolutionary at heart: he believes in the democratic rights of individuals, he rails against top-down administration, and he is a tireless advocate for students. His philosophy of education boils down to this: "Respect students." Respect them enough to listen to their ideas . . . and respect them enough to include them in the decision-making processes that affect them.

The idea of America's schools investing in its students the ideals and principles of democracy is a potent vision and one in which Hood is fully invested. Hood is convinced that the key to scholastic success is student engagement, that if educators did a better job of listening to students, they would be able to enlist students as partners; and together they could to solve the three most intransigent issues facing our schools: student motivation, student participation, and student achievement.

For my hero Ken Hood, respect is essential for any educator who possesses a genuine desire to combine the tenets of democracy with the goals of American education. For me, Hood's respect for students serves as a beacon to remind me that educating our students for a democratic America means inviting them to participate in our democracy.

--Steve McKibben
11/6/05