Dr. Melissa Herrmann

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of political polarization on public school leaders and how they lead their districts. The central research question being explored is: how has the increased divisiveness and political polarization of issues in the United States impacted public school superintendents and how they lead their districts? The research in Chapter 2 of this paper describes the changing dynamics of leading public education amidst an increase in division and political polarization in the United States. It explains the challenges manifesting in the public education system and the impact on public school superintendents.

The researcher used van Manen’s holistic approach to data analysis to explore school superintendents’ experiences navigating and leading their school districts through various divisive political and social issues. Participants for this study included ten superintendents who served in a variety of districts across the state of Nebraska. Participants in this research study have served as superintendents for at least three years and have had experience with the phenomenon as determined through an examination of artifacts and references. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and was analyzed using van Manen’s hermeneutic approach. The major themes identified through the research are: (1) the need to build resiliency and prioritize self-care in themselves (2) the need to foster strong boards of education (3) the need to push back against negative and false narratives. Recommendations for future research include expanding the topic to include the impact on boards of education and to include perspectives from other states.