Do Male Workers Prefer Male Leaders? An Analysis of Principals’ Effects on Teacher Retention
61 Pages Posted: 24 Oct 2018 Last revised: 6 Aug 2024
Date Written: November 6, 2018
Abstract
Using a 40-year panel of all public school teachers and principals in New York State, we explore how female principals affect rates of teacher turnover—an important determinant of school quality. We find that male teachers are about 12% more likely to leave their schools when they work under female principals than under male principals. In contrast, we find no such effects for female teachers. Furthermore, when male teachers request transfers, they are more likely to be to schools with male principals. These results suggest that opposition from male subordinates could inhibit female progress in leadership.
Keywords: gender discrimination, coworker discrimination, turnover, glass ceiling, education workforce
JEL Classification: J16, J45, J71, M51
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation