Stealing from the Mother: The Marginalization of Women in Education and Psychology from 1900-2010

Stealing from the Mother: The Marginalization of Women in Education is an amazing book that appealed to me as a scholar, teacher, administrator, and most importantly as a mother. I found the historical information between the progressive, psychological, and political periods intriguing. I loved reading about the brave women leaders in education highlighted throughout the book. The book concludes with an captivating section titled, Returning the Mother to her Rightful Place, which presents the current climate of higher education for women under a primary male model in academia; yet, provides ways to rethink teacher education, considering how the environment in higher education can be improved. Despite legislation put into place to provide equity for women, there is still much more work to be done to create a supportive climate in academia for women. In all, the authors provide a well-organized, fascinating examination of the history of women within the field of education.

I really love this book. From the first chapter, I was drawn to the riveting stories of these amazing and strong women. The voices of these influential women are captured within the pages of this long needed book. Throughout each chapter, I took inspiration and I gained knowledge in the courage, intellect, creativity, and persistence of these women who overcame societal hurdles for the sake of education and for children. This book is noteworthy for all generations and across many disciplines, but I especially think this book is important for entering professionals who are often naive to the incredible journey of our educational foremothers and their positive, infinite impacts.

In Stealing from the Mother, Aldridge and Christensen take a fresh look at the history of education, inviting readers to see women’s contributions to the field in an entirely new light. I felt like the authors were taking me by the hand and introducing me to a myriad of smart, spirited, and dedicated educational pioneers, who had all received short shrift for their work in varying ways and degrees. Accessible and inspiring, this text provides a new lens for understanding past and present happenings in education and offers support for resisting the marginalization of women in the future. This is a thought-provoking and worthy contribution to the profession.

The Year of the Woman provides the perfect backdrop to recognize, reaffirm and celebrate the selfless journeys our educational foremothers took so that more of us could realize our rights and fulfill our dreams. The stories encouraged me to embrace the “feminization” of education, as it was this qualitative factor that led to the incorporation of social justice, experiential learning, holistic programming and an understanding of the “Other” within our schools. Reading Stealing from the Mother generated an excitement and pride in my chosen profession. The text begins the documentation and discussion of the legacy of those who paved our way, of those who worked tirelessly for the love of children and learning, and of those who truly understood that all children have the right to an inclusive education long before it became fashionable or legislated. The authors have managed to put a new twist on NCLB. Upon reflection, I realized that what was really being asked of the reader was to make sure that No Woman was Left Behind. In doing so, the book empowers and inspires the reader to continue to share the truth of our past so that “her” stories are not lynched by the current white, western, paternalistic dogma.

This book is a tribute to the women who innovated, with passion and determination, the educational system in spite of the marginalization and lack of recognition of their professionalism. Their life experiences, told with extreme simplicity and directness, draw not only the history of education, but of an entire era. Each of these women has a peculiar history, but the same dreams to achieve and the same struggles to fight, of which the reader, chapter after chapter, becomes a witness. The many insights, the numerous questions asked so often in a provocative way, become an opportunity to reflect upon the women’s marginalization. A book, therefore, in some way universal, dedicated not only to those who work in the educational sector, but to everyone wishing to correct the inequity of our societies.

This timely book on a perennial topic recognizes the heretofore little known and unrecognized contributions of many woman educators, including those in early childhood. The authors have gathered published evidence describing the marginalization of women in education and psychology and have opened doors for fresh examination, discussion, and research of the now-visible issues. It places information about 21 remarkable women who have lived in three centuries in historical and political contexts that also achieve a geographical distribution. Readers will discover books and articles the women have published, the organizations and institutions they have established, the students and colleagues they have influenced, and the biographies they have inspired. Some are still professionally active, still prompting the end-of-chapter questions requiring reader reflection and deeper research. Taking seriously the political and institutional aspects of the field of education, the authors strive to inform the reader about specific ways to take action and to make a difference in their world.

Jerry Aldridge is professor emeritus of early childhood education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is author of numerous books, including Rowman & Littlefield’s Stealing from the Mother: The Marginalization of Women in Education and Psychology from 1900-2010 (2013)with Lois M. Christensen.