The Moral Imperative of School Leadership

by Michael Fullan

The time has come to change the context of school leadership! The role of the principal is pivotal to systemic school change. That is the fundamental message in  The Moral Imperative of School Leadership,  which extends the discussion begun in Fullan′s earlier publication,  What’s Worth Fighting for in the Principalship?  The author examines the   moral purpose of school leadership and its critical role in "changing the context" in which the role is embedded. In this bold step forward, Fullan calls for principals to become agents as well as beneficiaries of the processes of school change. Concepts explored in-depth

Genres: Education, Leadership, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

Reviews

[Malbadeen]

What about the Aesthetic Imperative of book covers? Shouldn't we be concerned about that as well?

Once I got past the cover (no small task), I liked the book because here's the thing - if you talk to me about teaching or schools in real life, I'll most likely joke about how teachers are either villainized or sainted. I especially enjoy a good scoff at the "sainting" thing. I might even sarcastically break in to a little Whitney Houston..."I believe the children are our future...." but the truth is, when I'm not being goofy and making you feel uncomfortable for kindly admiring the teachers role in society I can get pretty choked up about all the weightiness of what's going on.

Over the past few years I've become especially aware of how extraordinarily efficient schools are at perpetuating the classicism that is so rampant. This growing awareness has me both sickened and excited by what that might mean for someone that is so intimately a part of this system.

I find it endlessly ironic to hear people discuss how dismal the American education system is. I think some people are right: it is a mess but I think a lot of people are so, so, so wrong about what exactly the mess is. Because it's so much bigger than reading and math scores! It's about access to living a life steeped in dignity and choice and capacity to act from a place of compassion.
And so it's always nice to read something that cracks open the door just a bit, and sheds the tiniest amount of light on something other than the obvious, surface level issues.

[Karyn]

I wish Fullan's book would have had more in depth case studies-- rather than reciting the works of Collins and others. I would have loved to have read more about the experiences of Chris Spence and another school leaders who implemented cultural change within their buildings, regions and communities.

[Julie Aquilina]

Thought-provoking, yet lacks practicality. Inspiring while at the same time discouraging.