The Audacity to Govern

Bold collaborations between school boards and superintendents can create pathways for equity and excellence

In the face of complex challenges, school boards nationwide stand at the crossroads of progress and the status quo. It takes unparalleled courage to set aside comfort, look into the souls of our communities and act with unwavering commitment to equity and excellence.

True leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. once urged, must be “voices of reason, sanity and understanding.” This spirit of audacious leadership is needed now more than ever among school boards and superintendents, responsible for stewarding a future that promises dignity, opportunity and hope for every child.

Our collective experiences as a former superintendent, researcher, professor and executive search consultant (Joseph) and current superintendent of the nation’s 8th largest school district (Watlington) give us a unique perspective. For years, we have observed what happens when school boards and superintendents do not identify their moral imperative: Students do not progress. Progress happens when passionate leaders understand their power and the call to service.

Audacious leadership requires board members, superintendents and unions to collectively come together to tackle a school district’s most significant problems. An intentional ability to listen, to reach consensus and collaborate on targeted improvement to benefit children is needed for progress in complex school districts.

Thus, we define audacious leadership as “having the maturity, humility and understanding to push back against those practices, policies and actions that deter progress.”

We believe the School District of Philadelphia’s school board presents a promising example of audacity and consciousness.