Every Principal and district leader knows the feeling: you’re preparing for a critical curriculum adoption meeting when a state legislator tweets about your district. Your phone erupts. District leaders or Principal Supervisors want answers. Parents demand responses. And somewhere in the chaos, you remember, students need you to lead well tomorrow morning.
This tension isn’t new, but it’s intensifying. The question isn’t whether political and legislative pressures will invade your work; it’s how you’ll respond when they do.
Common Traps
The most common trap is reactivity. When external pressures mount, leaders often shift into crisis mode, abandoning their strategic priorities to chase the loudest voice. I’ve watched talented administrators completely reorganize their calendars to appease others who are themselves responding to the political winds, rather than addressing their students’ needs. This creates a cascade of distraction that trickles down through every level of the organization.
Another pitfall is the false choice between politics and students. Leaders sometimes believe they must choose between engaging with legislative realities and focusing on students. This binary thinking leads to two equally problematic approaches. Some leaders bury their heads in the sand, ignoring policy developments until new mandates catch them off guard. Others become so consumed by political maneuvering that they lose touch with the classroom entirely.
Perhaps most damaging is the tendency to operate without clear principles. When leaders lack a clear direction, every political shift becomes a crisis. Without anchoring beliefs about what serves students best, you’ll constantly shift positions based on who’s applying pressure. As educational consultant Michael Fullan reminds us, “The litmus test of all leadership is whether it mobilizes people’s commitment to putting their energy into actions designed to improve things.”
Moving Forward
The path forward requires three interconnected commitments:
First, establish non-negotiables. Before the next political storm hits, define your core commitments to student success. What will you protect at all costs? Perhaps it’s equitable resource allocation, evidence-based instructional practices, or comprehensive support services. Write them down. Share them publicly. When these principles guide your decisions, you transition from a reactive to a responsive approach. You’re not ignoring political realities; you’re filtering them through a student-centered lens.
I’ve seen this work powerfully in practice. In my former district, we faced intense pressure to eliminate certain library materials. Rather than immediately complying or digging in defensively, we returned to the district’s adopted policies on instructional materials and intellectual freedom. The process wasn’t easy, but it kept students’ educational needs at the center while respecting legitimate community concerns.
Second, build strategic relationships before you need them. The time to connect with legislators and community leaders is not during a crisis. Establish regular communication channels that prioritize student outcomes, rather than focusing solely on damage control and mitigation. As a Principal, I invited policymakers into my school to see teaching and learning firsthand. We shared data that told the stories of our students. When people understand your work deeply, they’re less likely to make uninformed demands and more likely to become advocates.
Third, create governance structures that protect instructional focus. This involves establishing clear protocols for evaluating and addressing external pressures. Who screens incoming demands? What criteria determine which issues reach your desk versus being handled at other levels? How do you ensure that political concerns are addressed without derailing instructional leadership?
One effective structure is a policy review team that meets regularly to monitor legislative developments and assess implications before they become emergencies. This team can prepare responses, identify when proactive communication is needed, and determine which issues genuinely require shifts in practice versus those that need only clarification of existing approaches.
The wisdom of leadership expert Simon Sinek applies here: “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge.” Our charge is students. Political pressures are real, but they’re the weather, not the climate. You cannot control every legislative proposal or political Tweet, but you can control your response.
Your Next Step
This week, take one hour to articulate your three non-negotiable commitments to students. Write them clearly enough that a community member could understand them. Please share them with your staff. Then ask yourselves: Which current initiative or time commitment should we eliminate because it doesn’t align with these priorities?
The political noise will continue. Legislative sessions will bring new mandates. But when you anchor your leadership in student-centered principles, build relationships proactively, and create structures that protect instructional focus, you’ll navigate the turbulence without losing your way.
What decision are you facing right now that could benefit from this framework?
#EducatioalLeader,
Kim
When students are led well, they learn well.
References
- Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. Jossey-Bass.
- Sinek, S. (2014). Leaders eat last: Why some teams pull together and others don’t. Portfolio/Penguin.
- Vaden, R. (2015). Procrastinate on purpose: 5 permissions to multiply your time. Perigee Books.
The views shared in the Educational Leadership Moment are solely those of Dr. Kim D. Moore and do not reflect the positions of her employer or any entity within the local, state, or federal government sector.
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