The Generation Gap

Generation Gap: n.
A difference in values and attitudes between one generation and another, especially between young people and their parents.



I have always felt this invisible line between some of the board members and myself. I like to sum it up with the words: Generation Gap. I am not talking about age difference. I am referring to the problems the two groups have with one another and the inability to see eye to eye.


I noticed something immediately when we went to Boston and spent the weekend with thousands of board members. I was of a minority. I would say that there were more men, but almost everyone was over the age of 50. Do I think someone can't be a good board member because of their age? Absolutely not. Do I think there is a huge problem with the fact that young people aren't getting out there, being involved, and serving on boards? Absolutely!!! But there are other concerns as well.




1) Session after session board members would stand up and say something like, "My name is Sally Mae and I have been on the board for 24 years" and the audience would applaud. I don't get it. They didn't say they were a "great board member for 24 years" just that they were there. Why does holding a seat for years and years earn you an applause? Tell me you have been amazing for the last 2 decades, then I will clap for you.



2) Fear of Change. This is a biggie. In some sessions they would speak of new and innovative ways to communicate with parents. Such as having a Board Facebook Page. In another session, FB pages were met with criticism and insult. As if that is a teenagers way of living, not a corporation.


3) Seeing someone younger as someone who is not an equal. I face this on my board everyday. I hear the comments. I know I am treated differently because of my age. I saw it at the conference as well. After one session I waited in line to speak with the presenter. Not once, but twice, as it was my turn to step up and speak, two older men cut right in front of me, as if I didn't even exist. I know they thought they were more important in their suits. Was it because I was a woman? Was it because of my age? I don't know for sure.


4) Seasoned board members seem to be afraid to "let go" of the reins and give someone else a chance to run things. This is true of the board I serve on. Not only will they refuse to "let" someone new and fresh serve as chairman, they don't even let us in on the discussion. I fear that other boards are the same, and who will run these meetings ten to twenty years from now? Who will serve on these boards? If we don't teach the next generation and give them a chance are we really helping our students?



5) Resentment and feeling unappreciated and the whole "we tried that it didn't work" phrase. I have one word for you. Bacon. When I sat on our preschool board, much smaller than IPS but very successful, I considered myself a seasoned member. I knew all the fundraisers in and out. Someone younger and very energetic came onto the board and had new ideas. I disliked her immediately. She wanted to serve bacon at our Santa breakfast, and we all knew that didn't work. It took too much time to cook, made a mess, lots of clean up, and slowed everything down. We tried it. However she was adamant. She needed bacon, she was in charge, and there would be bacon. So what did I do? I went to this event, saw that she had her bacon and saw that it messed everything up. HA! I was right! I sat there and watched this fail, I watched families leave because they were waiting for food, I saw people be unhappy, kids getting restless. So it failed because she didn't listen, right? No. It failed because I didn't get off my ass and help her fry that bacon. That was the moment I knew it was time for me to leave. If I would rather this event be a flop and disappoint our families, than step up and help her even though she wouldn't listen to me, then it was time for me to go. And I did. I chose to let my pride stand in the way of making something better for our children. Next time, I choose bacon.



I got a lot out of the NSBA, but I do think there could be a session on the generation gap and how to confront it respectfully.