Leadership Is How We Behave When We Disagree

Reflections on Leadership and School Board Governance

Recently, my political independence was publicly questioned after my name appeared on a political endorsement list. The situation prompted me to reflect on something I believe is fundamental to leadership: how we treat others when we disagree or don't have all the facts.

I shared the following thoughts on October 20, 2026.

Never in my 45 years of life did it occur to me that getting on the Internet, making assumptions about other people, and publicly questioning their integrity without first seeking to understand the facts would accomplish anything positive.

For clarity, I did not seek the political endorsement being discussed, and I do not know how my name came to appear on that list. I cannot control who chooses to support me, nor does someone else's political affiliation determine my own. My commitment to independent, nonpartisan school board leadership has not changed.

What concerns me far more is the behavior surrounding this situation.

When we encounter something we do not understand, we have a choice. We can ask questions, seek information, and approach others with curiosity. Or we can make assumptions, draw conclusions, and publicly question someone's character without understanding the circumstances.

If this is how we approach something that could have been clarified with a simple conversation, what happens when the issues are genuinely complicated, the answers aren't obvious, and the decisions affect thousands of children?

Howell Public Schools' vision is to empower students to be successful citizens. Our Adaptive Plan recognizes that every student has dignity, value, and voice, and that student success is a shared responsibility among families, students, staff, and our community.

If we want students to become thoughtful, respectful, responsible citizens, shouldn't we be modeling those same qualities ourselves?

That includes how we approach disagreement, how we seek information, and how we treat people whose perspectives differ from our own.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me. I welcome questions, disagreement, and accountability. Those are essential to good governance. I believe we can hold one another accountable without tearing one another down.

Leadership isn't about never disagreeing. It's about how we choose to behave when we do.

Our students are watching. Let's give them something worth learning from. 💚💛

These reflections represent my personal views as an individual, not an official position of the Board of Education.