A Call to Boldness

Educational Leadership for Such a Time as This

We often hear the phrase, “schools are microcosms of the world.”  Most educators would agree, but rarely do people on the “outside” appreciate the gravity of that statement.  Regardless of which side of the aisle we may be inclined – that is, whichever aisle we may be encountering at any given moment in our history-in-the-making adventures, whether it be governmental, political, racial/ethnic, societal, global, faith-based, health-related, and so on – as educators, we encounter it all.  And as educational leaders, we don’t just look back and remember where we were when significant events marked those moments, shaped subsequent seasons of our lifetime, and transformed culture along the way.  As educational leaders, we respond.

Some educators have served long enough to remember the Vietnam experience.  Others still remember the very moment our own teachers turned on the radio or TV to let us hear reports of President JFK’s assassination.  Some of us remember our inspiration when Christa McAuliffe launched into space as one of our own fellow educators.  And we all, just a few short years ago, remember our shock when schools had less than two days to shut down in the midst of Covid.  As educational leaders, regardless of where we find ourselves, the inclinations of our own emotions, views, and positions, it is our great privilege and deep responsibility to help students and families have healthy conversations about ALL of it.  Why?  Because we are educators.  Because as educational leaders, we respond.  Because a “microcosm” is not a paperweight, a little glass dome filled halfway with water and snow particles that we shake up and watch during the holidays, smiling as the snow calmly settles and we sigh, “Aaaah, how nice” while gathering ‘round the table for delicacies.  A microcosm hurts just as much as the macrocosm, perhaps even more, because young people are learning to process it all.  All the while, the world peers inside, expecting a rational, calm, well-researched, balanced, critical-thinking-style learning opportunity to sprinkle into our classrooms like snow, sighing “Aaaah, how nice,” while expecting young people to continue on with daily life.  It doesn’t work that way.

As Educational Leaders, We Respond

This week it’s the remembrance of 9/11, again, which still feels like yesterday almost a quarter century later; and Charlie Kirk, a young man who invited young people to think.  Next time, may it never be, but unfortunately, it could be, something else.

This article is not directly about the matters of the day, nor is it a commentary on recent events and how to respond to them; although it was prompted by them.  Rather, this article is simply to encourage you, elevate you, appreciate you, and to honor you as educational leaders, because whatever the moment, on whichever side of the aisle, wherever we and our many stakeholders may lie, as educational leaders, we respond. This article is to say, We See You, for all that happens behind-the-scenes which outsiders don’t and can’t appreciate, within the less-than-two-minutes you are given to breathe, gather your team, and craft a calming, level-headed, inviting strategy.  You know how this microcosm works.  You will, you know how to, and you always do act with courage, finesse, openness, and warmth, because that’s what we do.  As educational leaders, we respond. So first, this article simply wishes to say, Thank You – to all the educational leaders currently serving at the helm of your schools & districts, to those who have retired and are still committed and supporting the cause, and to former educational leaders whose career path took a different turn (like me!) but are still very much fighting alongside and in partnership with all of you for the greatest educational outcomes and possibilities for ALL students. 

Second, this article is an attempt to seize the moment, to provoke us to consider the broader, more pervasive, in some cases insidious, underlying matters we face each and every day as educational leaders – not a one-time commemoration or national incident, but the daily, constant, tireless struggle of ensuring that all our students thrive, flourish, and grow.  ALL students.  For an educational leader, courage IS and must be present every day, every second, seen or unseen, intentional or unintentional – from day-to-day celebrations to momentary crises, from longer-term team capacity-building to community interactions, from hello to goodbye, and tomorrow we’ll do it, again.  And because we’re educational leaders, we respond.  This takes courage.  Every.  Single.  Day.

But there is a difference between courage and boldness.  This distinction applies to any aspect of our lived experiences, and it applies to recent events in our country and their global impact (which I encourage you to use & share if it's helpful), but my intent in this article is to apply the concept of courage vs. boldness, with accompanying encouragement, to our perpetual purpose and ongoing work as educational leaders – equipping our young people to advance from early to late adolescent stages of development and beyond.  Consider this article a clarion call to bold educational leaders everywhere, wherever you may be – to arise, to stand, to speak, and to join me in the pursuit of transforming our educational system as we know it.

Courage vs. Boldness

When we’re younger, courage happens when one peer asks another out on a date, hoping to hear yes, maybe with one eye squinting to deflect the potential pain of possibly hearing no, looking for a route to turn around and run if rejected, but ready and never backing down from, at least, asking the question.  Boldness happens when one peer knows the answer will most likely be no, but makes the invitation, anyway, because the other person has value and is worth pursuing. 

When we’re older, courage happens when we share introductions with each other, live through opportunities and experiences together, and protect each other, even if our decisions may challenge each other’s beliefs.  Boldness happens when we know there will be challenges, yet we listen, learn, keep believing, and motivate each other throughout the journey.

And oh, the job interviews, at every stage... Courage does the research, takes notes, practices and prepares for potential questions, especially the common ones.  Courage walks in with confidence in what I can accomplish, answering the typical question toward the conclusion of the interview – “Why should we hire you?” – with clarity and ambition.  Boldness walks in embodying the essence of who I am, pre-empting the conversation midway through the interview, posing an unexpected question with a piercing gaze, “Why should I work for you?”

Now let’s bring it closer to home.  In the context of educational leadership, courage asks hard questions, investigates data, recognizes patterns, and seeks solutions.  Courage recognizes when students may be failing, discovers circumstances and factors that may be inhibiting student achievement, and celebrates and explores variables leading to success.  Boldness exposes longstanding patterns, confronts systems and structures that may have “felt good” or “seemed right” for years despite leading to declining performance, and questions traditions that may have served the interests or comforts of adults at the expense of students’ interests and strengths (e.g., hiring practices, instructional approaches, assessment policies, dominant personalities, and so much more – an article for another day).  Courage says, posts, and advocates for a common mission and belief – “ALL students can and will learn.”  Boldness moves from words to difficult conversations, challenges mindsets, uncovers common ground underneath the divided surface, and advocates for change. 

Courage is for a moment; Boldness is for eternity.  Courage is of men; Boldness is of God.  Courage wants to be appreciated; Boldness finds the strength to persevere.  Boldness stands up as Esther, knowing that anyone who approaches the King’s scepter uninvited will be given the decree of death, yet cries, “If I perish, I perish, but how can I bear to see the destruction of my children?”

From Strength to Strength

Why the distinction?  Why courage vs. boldness, rather than courage vs. weakness?  Because there is no weakness in educational leadership.  It’s not even a category.  An aspiring leader who lacks courage may not yet be ready for leadership, but can be, with strong mentoring and more experience in the ring.  Educational leaders are all courageous, by definition.  We will only get stronger as we enter a new era of leadership together, moving deeper into our greater calling, boldly anchored in our grander mission – students, and our role in their journey toward fulfilling their God-given purpose.  Bold leaders, it’s time to arise. Now is our moment.

Why are our students failing?  They’re not.  Adults are.  We’re failing them.  They’re not losing learning (i.e., the fake term “learning loss”); we’re losing them.  We’re losing their hearts, their hopes, their dreams, their minds to the enemy of their souls.  They’re asking questions and looking for answers in all the wrong places.  It’s time to reclaim them back to the God who loves them and has a plan and purpose for their lives, for good and not for evil, for a hope and a future.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Courage speaks the truth even when it’s difficult, in spite of those who disagree or who may fight it; Boldness speaks the truth because it’s true. 

Will you challenge status quo?  Will you lift up your voice to question the very structures, frameworks, policies, and underlying design of our educational system, to investigate whether it actually serves the very people it claims to reach – our learners, our youth, an entire generation? 

Courage puts its armor on, knowing there will be persecution when we stand; Boldness never takes its armor off, knowing that persecution comes because we stood.  Courage prepares for the lions; Boldness walks into the lion’s den.  Courage fortifies its resources and prepares for attack; Boldness runs into the enemy’s territory and demolishes its forces.

The Weapons of Our Warfare

As educational leaders, our tools are more ornate and much more powerful than any military arsenal.  Our weapons are love, joy, peace, forgiveness, listening and speaking to each other with respect, walking with each other and in each other’s shoes without fear...  As educational leaders, we must respond with our weapons.  How?  We activate our weapons with our voices – by welcoming multiple views, through healthy conversations, in building a sense of belonging, and always, always, always speaking life into the lives of our students…

• “We see you…”

• “We appreciate you…”

• “We want to hear what you have to say…”

• “We want to know what you think…”

• “We believe in you…”

• “We love you…”

• “You are beautiful...”

• “You are wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139:14)

• “Not only are you enough, you are more than enough.”

• “You are a person of value, and your value is far above rubies…” (Proverbs 31:10)

• “You are you, there is only one you, and there will never be another you...”

Courage is of the soul – our intellect, our emotions; Boldness is of the Spirit.  Courage stems from performance, what I believe I can accomplish; Boldness stems from identity, who I am and who I am becoming.  Courage keeps our mind geared toward the outcome and our qualifications; Boldness never takes our mind off the purpose and our mission.

I don’t want to be remembered for the significance of our collaborative efforts to raise student achievement scores.  I don’t want to be remembered for the effectiveness of our professional development and coaching sessions.  I would rather be persecuted for boldness than admired for courage.  I want to be remembered for the endurance of our unity in cultivating future generations to become who God designed them to become.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

To all the educational leaders who have arisen and to those who are ready to arise in Boldness: our time is now. Armor up.  We’re going in... to the mission field.

~ From the enemy’s camp, with love.

~ Ronit Carter, President and Lead Consultant, Learning Lens

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