We are all politicians? Really?

Our professor stood in front of the class last night and asked us to define democracy? He went on to discuss the difference between a republic and a democracy, the liberal movement and the neo-liberal movement...  Then he went on to call us all politicians.

                            

STOP this IS a leadership course right? So why is he calling ME a politician, I don't want to be a politician, I just want to be a principal!

As the discussion went on, the professor explained how in a republic where the people elect representatives (this is what we do here in America) every time we exercise our right to vote, we are influencing policy. Politics deals with policies, therefore, we are all a politician.

As school leaders, we will recreate a microcosm of our society. Our teachers will elect team leaders to represent them, they will provide input into the policies that are made in the school. As leader we will expect our "followers" to live and work within the guidelines of those policies. When they don't we will implement some type of consequence. Like the legal system in our society, in schools there is a review system in place that teachers can proceed through if they question the fairness of the "laws."

It had never dawned on me before last night, that as a school leader, I will in fact be a politician. I guess I better start re-thinking the perception I have about politicians... Since I am one! Wow, ME a politician! Who would have thought that would happen? Wish me luck.