Education is the foundation on which all else that is good in our society rests. In a very real sense, our teachers, our school administrators and our community members and businesses who actively participate in educating our children serve the highest calling of democracy. Finally, as in every period of turmoil, the challenges and opportunities ahead will place a high premium on bold and effective leadership and on informed and active citizenship. If leaders and citizens pull together, we can open the way to an era of civic revival. If that teamwork fails, the challenges will multiply and opportunities will evaporate.
Real leadership takes risks.
Polling and focus groups and rapid communications keep our public officials more in touch with public opinion than ever before. Indeed, we are often so closely in touch that we are buffeted by swings in the public mood. And, without leadership to point out the contradictions, the result is the sort of disconnect between desires and sacrifices that has led to our budget problems. Real leadership is informed by the public mood, but it does more than just follow the polls. Real leadership offers ideas, defends them and refines them when better ideas come along.