Look to the antics for example of Ed Brand, superintendent of Sweetwater Education Association. Mr. Brand attempted to get special California legislation passed that would have held teachers accountable for student progress based solely on the results of SAT 9 tests. There are also the antics of Chula Vista's superintendent, Libia Gill. Ms. Gill is trying to destroy the local by pushing as many schools into privatization, and out of the union, as she can. We need go no further really, than our own San Diego Unified School District, to run into some very strange attitudes.
Leadership is a very fragile concept.
Leaders that are appointed only represent the people that appoint them. They, in reality lead no one. Your association has long fought for leaders to be selected by their peers. The elected leaders of our association have many opportunities for training in how to best represent the people that elect them. Further, our association offers to best represent the people that elect them, and our association offers many types of training covering many professional issues.