The Fictive Characteristics of Effective Educational Leaders

The Fictive Characteristics of Effective Educational Leaders - " In the ideal school and community relations environment, a school board is elected that represents the diversity of the community. In turn, the board selects a superintendent who has views that are congruent with both the board and the community. When the values of the community change, ideally the board and the superintendent are sensitive to those changes and respond appropriately. However, the reality is that, over time, values tend to differ. As Lutz & Mertz (1992) noted, when the congruence of values erodes between these three elements that shape educational policy, the effect is almost always political action resulting in new leadership. In the ideal world, this new leadership has a perspective that is aligned with the community. However, reality indicates that this ideal of realignment is purely a fiction. In the time that it takes to remedy the disparity by the election of new school board officials, which in turn may or may not appoint a new superintendent, the community values may have changed again. The resulting gap between the three elements that shape educational policy may perpetuate this cycle indefinitely."