My post from this morning about the vacuum of leadership at marathon finish lines wasn’t just an abstract observation. It has been turning over in my head ever since a major epiphany I had on Thursday morning regarding my own career path and my sudden, unexpected consideration of going into school administration.
The truth is, whether we are talking about a crowded racetrack or a high school hallway, the problem is exactly the same: people are starving for leadership.
In education, it starts with the students. It’s a frustrating reality that any seasoned teacher or parent eventually figures out: kids need structure. They need rules. They need to know that there are firm, predictable consequences when they break those rules. They will never admit it to you, but they crave those boundaries because boundaries equal safety.
Lately, I’ve had some candid conversations with my students regarding the situation with my current principal. The kids—who are far sharper observers than adults give them credit for—point-blank told me that she plays favorites. Not among the students, but among the staff. As a professional, I maintain my “teacher face,” nod slightly, and keep my mouth shut. But internally, I know they are exactly right.
The reality of the classroom is simple: kids will fully take advantage of an adult who tries to be their “buddy,” but they will never respect them.
Finding the Voice to Roar
Regular readers of this blog know I write a lot about Optimus Prime and the mentality of being “strong enough to be gentle.” That core philosophy has been instilled in me ever since I watched those 1980s cartoons as a kid, even if it took me decades to properly articulate it.
When I first got into teaching, I knew exactly what kind of educator I wanted to be. But I have to admit, during my first few years in the classroom, I struggled. It took time to find my voice, to establish my own “100% Policy” with boundaries, and to firmly stand my ground. Because I couldn’t do that consistently early on, a lot of kids saw me as a doormat.
I don’t know if it was just getting older, or the shift in clientele when I moved to teaching in Troy, but I eventually found my voice. I found myself ready to roar and stand my ground. But to do that effectively, you have to be able to trust that the people above you have your back.
The Brick Wall Test
That brings us to the core breakdown in the system. As a teacher, when you don’t have an administration that supports you—let alone backs you up when you try to enforce rules against cheating, disruption, or behavior—that administrator effectively renders you powerless.
And that is exactly where my coworkers and I find ourselves today. We are operating in a total leadership vacuum.
I have said to other teachers at my school on multiple occasions: if our current principal just supported us when we try to maintain expectations—whether that’s basic discipline, completing work, or ensuring a secure, cheating-free exam environment—my staff members and I would be willing to run through a brick wall for her.
I know what that kind of leadership feels like because I’ve experienced it. A few years back, I taught summer school under an assistant principal from another high school in the district. To this day, whenever I see him at district-wide professional development meetings, that feeling returns: I would still run through a brick wall for that guy.
That is the missing key in education right now. When staff respect their administrator, they know exactly where that leader is coming from. You don’t have to agree 100% with every single step of an administrator’s vision. But as long as you know you are both coming from a place of good intentions, and there is a baseline of mutual support, you can conquer anything. Without that support, the whole foundation crumbles.
Stepping Into the Void
To be perfectly honest, I don’t know how badly I actually want to become a school administrator. I certainly have no desire to take over the school I am currently in. I have never been the type of person who craves raw power. I don’t want to walk into a room just to yell, “Okay, everybody listen to me!” But my entire life, whenever I walk into a situation and recognize a genuine absence of leadership, I have never had a problem stepping into the void to fill it.
I’m not suggesting I have the magic answers to the entire educational crisis in our country. But I do know how I operate. I carry myself with an unyielding sense of professionalism. I support my coworkers—even the ones I don’t personally like—because that’s what a leader does. I know the leadership qualities buried inside me would be genuinely effective in a school system that is currently drifting.
My biggest hesitation isn’t the workload; it’s the politics. And I don’t mean Democrats versus Republicans. I mean the exhausting, petty, inter-office politics of one person pushing their personal agenda over another. That madness is only magnified when you are running a school and dealing with central office, superintendents, and school boards. I don’t know if that’s an arena I’m truly ready to jump into yet.
But as I look around at a system where the adults in charge are failing to lead, I’m reminded of what I wrote this morning. If you see a collapse, you can’t just keep running past it because you’re afraid to take the first step. Sometimes, you have to be the one who stops and takes charge.
Note: Want to see where this reflection started? Check out this morning’s post, Starving for Leadership at the Finish Line, to see how a viral marathon video triggered this entire shift in perspective.
Rebuilding a life takes grit, consistency, and a lot of ‘Option C’ thinking. Whether I’m closing in on 1,000 consecutive days of blogging or reflecting on the decade of work that brought me here, the mission remains the same: No glitz. Just the work. New to the blog? Start your journey here to see the blueprint and the ‘Tricorder’ perspective behind the rebuild.
Today’s post is inspired by the WordPress Daily Prompt. While I’ve taken the topic in my own direction for the Road to 1,000 Days, you can find more responses to today’s prompt HERE.
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The article “Starving for leadership in the classroom” first appeared in Rebuilding Rob.
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