Dr. LaRuth Gray
Dr. LaRuth Gray is a lifelong educator, accomplished writer, mother of two, and grandmother of nine. Having lived as an adult through 12 American presidencies, she has spent the past two decades observing the intersection of the chief executive and social issues and how the individual personalities of each President impacted our national education system.
Dr. LaRuth Gray dedicates herself to improving the quality of education, and the quality of life for children. Beginning as a teacher in the New Rochelle Public schools, Dr. Gray served in several leading roles. First, she served as Chairman of the Middle school's Language Arts Department, then moved to Principal. She then served in the central office as Director of Instruction and Assistant Superintendent. Among the accomplishments attributed to Dr. Gray during that time was the design, development, and execution of the reorganization of New Rochelle Public Schools addressing the twin problems of minority isolation and declining enrollment. That work is chronicled in the book What about Barnard.
Dr. Gray joined the Abbott Union Free School District as Superintendent, retiring in 1989. During her superintendency, she was honored by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Alliance for Arts Education as an outstanding educator contributing to and supporting the arts in education. After retiring as Superintendent, she joined NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. Dr. Gray served as Deputy Director, at the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools, and as an Affiliate Professor in the Administration, Leadership and Technology Program.
She has been recognized by the Dean of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at NYU with a Faculty Award for Outstanding Service; the National School Boards Association as one of the “100 Outstanding Educators in Small School Districts in North America”; the Congressional Black Caucus Education Braintrust for her excellence and equity in Education; the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) as one of the ten pioneering Sheroes for helping break the glass ceiling for women in education for the last three decades. She also received the Prestigious Evelyn Campbell Award from AASA’s Woman Caucus. Other awards include: a Humanitarian Award from the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and the Living Legend award from the National Alliance of Black School Educators.
A nationally recognized educator she has also served her community locally serving as President of the Martin Luther King Child Development Center and as President of the Westchester Library System. Additionally, she was a member of the United States Service Academy Review Board for the 29th Congressional District, Chair of the Palmer Memorial Committee for the American Education Research Association, Chair of the Education Committee for the African American Advisory Committee to Westchester County Executive, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Westchester Children’s Association and the New York State Commissioner’s Advisory Panel for Children with Handicapping Conditions. Dr. Gray currently serves as President Emeritus of the Board of Arts, Westchester and Professional Advisory Committee for the Child Development Institute of Sarah Lawrence College. She also serves as a Mentor in the American Association/Howard University Superintendent Preparation Program.
In addition to her book, What about Barnard (2019), Dr. Gray has authored a number of journal articles which include but are not limited to: “Aspirations and Achievements of Italian and Black American Youths in the New Rochelle Public schools” (1978) and “White and Black females in the Classroom, American Educational Journal” (1998).
A graduate of Howard University, Nova University, and Columbia University Teacher’s College, Dr. Gray is married to Joseph Morgan, who is also an educator. She is the mother of Reverend Dierdra Gray Clark, and Philip Gray, a financial advisor and employee benefit analyst.
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