Issue 72: Tension
Noun. The state of being stretched tight, or a mental or physical strain and unease.
Check-In:
It is the end of the school year in Texas. This time of year often brings a deep sigh of relief and gratitude to have made it to the end, but all I feel is tension.
May was BUSY. Work trips, graduations, and project deadlines took up every day and most evenings. I launched my second book (YEAH!) and held my first book-connected workshop (Whoop! Whoop!), but the joy I expected after all those achievements was still tinged with tension.
It could be that reports are coming out about the negative impacts of police presence in Texas schools, heightening my role as a parent and advocate to protect my son and others within these schools.
It could be that the candidates for the November Senate elections in Texas are finally set, and despite a candidate with a scandal-filled history, there isn’t a clear frontrunner in the race.
It could be because in the efforts to Make Education Great Again, I see the unraveling of the path to higher education and professional degrees being stripped away if you’re part of a minoritized community.
As I learn, analyze, and try to understand these actions, the tension can be felt throughout my body, but especially in the back of my neck and in my shoulders.
I recently reread the Letter from Birmingham Jail by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In it, he talks about tension. He says, “This may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tensions, but there is a type of constructive non-violent tension that is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must see men rise from the depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.”
So, although I had high hopes for only joy and relaxation for June, big things are happening at the local, state, and national level, and it’s not the time to ignore the tensions or use your privilege to say you’re not a ‘political’ person.
The tension has been created. If you tune into your body, you feel it too. School is not out for the summer if you want to ensure all of our students are getting access to a high-quality education. So what are you doing with your summer?
#mondaymotivation: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied to a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” -Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Letter from Birmingham Jail
Interview with a Leader of the Global Majority:
Daryl Sinclair is a teacher leader in England and Germany. These comments are the personal reflections of Daryl as a teacher; they do not reflect the opinions of his employer.
Mary: Can you share a time when you experienced tension as a teacher while navigating difficult issues in the classroom?
Daryl: One situation arose in a geography class with graduating students. We were discussing pro-nationalist and anti-nationalist policies, which inevitably brought up topics related to women’s rights and control over their own bodies. During the discussion, some students made what I considered to be harmful comments. In that moment, I needed to establish that this was something that was not appropriate for the classroom space that I was trying to create with my students.
Daryl: At the same time, I felt a responsibility to engage rather than simply shut down the conversation.
Daryl: I also wanted to ensure that any student affected by those comments had options. I needed to establish that for any student who was or is harmed or being harmed by those statements, they are also able to respond or exit the conversation as they need to.
Daryl: That tension, balancing safety, learning, and open dialogue, was one of the most challenging parts of the experience.
Please let me know if you would like to be interviewed and/or if you would recommend someone to be profiled in this section. I need new interviews!
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To:
READING: A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne is a young adult book set during the pandemic in NYC. It’s a series of short stories that all collide eventually. Often sad but poetic and beautiful at the same time.
WATCHING: Josh Johnson has his first comedy special, Symphony, out on HBO Max, and it’s just as good as we get every week on YouTube.
Navigating Power, Harnessing Possibility is HERE:
Navigating Power, Harnessing Possibility: A Guide for Leading Schools Through Uncertain Times is out! If you got a copy of the book, I would appreciate an Amazon book review. It helps others find out about it.
Wednesday, June 17th at 11 am CST, I will be hosting the FREE workshop, Leading Through Uncertainty: A Navigating Power Workshop AGAIN. An interactive workshop for education leaders and those who support them to gain skills and knowledge to lead within their own context. You can register here.
I’m working on a digital train-the-trainer workbook for facilitators who want to integrate the book into their professional learning and course syllabi. That will be available soon!
Other Ways to Partner With Leading-Within:
Grounded in Navigating Power, Harnessing Possibility: A Guide for Leading Schools Through Uncertain Times, these individual and small group coaching sessions equip system- and school-level leaders to effectively navigate the formal and informal political landscapes that shape their work. Leaders build the awareness, strategy, and confidence needed to exercise influence, make principled decisions, and lead through uncertainty with intention.
Our keynote speaking services engage school leaders in critical conversations that shape their work and influence. Focus areas include supporting leaders of color, navigating today’s political landscape, and leading systems-level transformation, offering participants practical tools and perspectives to lead with clarity and purpose.
Research and writing services support schools and organizations in assessing and documenting their learning across programs and initiatives. This work includes partnering to evaluate impact to produce clear, compelling reports, as well as writing and editing journal articles that highlight best practices across the diaspora.
If this is your first time reading, please go back and read my Introductions post.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. If you like it, please share it with your network and don’t forget to hit the “heart” button and leave a comment.