The word "religion" sends shudders down the spine of superintendents, as conflict over religious values can be one of the most unpredictable and emotional issues arising today in public schools. Dealing with religious belief in public schools need not be full of emotion and conflict. In this article, the author shares his strategies for…

The author shares her experience in working with a small group of teachers and the director of an alternative high school program who were experiencing significant conflict during team meetings. Every member, including the director, agreed that the group suffered from serious breakdowns in communication. As the facilitator of the group, the author…

School leaders are reporting an uptick in anger in their communities these days--often diffuse, unfocused anger--among staff members, parents and neighbors. In the face of threat, the first impulse of education leaders is to toughen up, tighten down and begin broadcasting their messages. Since anxiety and rage come with uncertain times, the…

Organized opposition from A to Z symbolizes both the breadth and the core values of organized opposition groups that have emerged across the nation in recent years. Technological advances have expanded the reach and impact of oppositional messages. Anti-public school websites, group e-mail, the mushrooming blogosphere and web-based marketing…

The author has lived in two worlds for many years. As a former band director and musician, he was constantly immersed in the world of creativity. Even today, after 36 years in educational administration, he spends his weekends judging band contests that require long hours at very low pay. He does so because he enjoys the creativity and enthusiasm…

In April 2005, the board of education in the Muhlenberg School District was forced to break one of their school policies after several parents complained about a book that has been included in the school's curriculum. The book, "The Buffalo Tree," by Adam Rapp has a passage detailing how an adolescent boy becomes sexually aroused in a communal…

This article talks about leading significant learning opportunities through conflict of ideas in a school system. Catalyzing school change can turn emotional differences of opinion into learning opportunities. Leaders who want to deal effectively with these challenging, often tense situations need to be more than good managers. They need to be…