Every Leader is a Teacher (Reprint)



Reprint: I wrote this article on June 28, 2011. I am reprinting it because I think that it is important to remember the events and sentiments that lead to the recall of Governor Scott Walker. They were as follows:

It has to be one of the biggest ironies in Wisconsin: If Governor Walker and the republicans want to see the worst group of teachers in Wisconsin, they should look in their mirrors. They should focus on themselves, and literally try to understand that all leaders are teachers, whose actions and deeds help to form our children’s beliefs and values.

Governor Walker and the republicans need to make themselves aware of the fact that their performances and conducts are teaching our children lessons about trust, loyalty, fairness, respect, compassion, truthfulness/honesty, tolerance, equality, civility, and unity. Moreover, Walker and the republicans need to know that you can’t teach honesty by telling lies. You can’t teach fairness by being unfair. You can’t teach respect by being disrespectful to others. You can’t teach compassion by being cold and indifferent to others. Pitting one group of workers against another is an awful strategy for teaching children the importance of “unity.” Secretly passing laws in the middle of the night is an awful strategy for teaching children the meaning of “trust.” Etc.

Teachers are real role models because they set the examples. They display trust, loyalty, fairness, respect, compassion, truthfulness/honesty, tolerance, equality, civility, unity, and hard work in the presence of observant children, who admire them, respect them, and learn these qualities ― from them!

Governor Scott Walker, the first step in making Wisconsin’s education system the best in the nation is to make Wisconsin’s governor the best teacher in nation. Practice what you preach and lead by example: If the work hours of the teachers in Green Bay should be extended one-half hour because it affords more time for collaboration, which is important for student achievement; perhaps, the republicans, the democrats, and you should set aside additional days for bipartisan collaboration, which is important for state achievement.

Again! Lead by example, and allow the children of Wisconsin and the rest of the nation to learn these excellent character traits ― from you!


by
James A. Porter


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