Reading & Leading

“Not all readers become leaders, but all leaders must be readers.” – Harry Truman

During a campaign season I am asked a whole host of questions.  However, I have yet to be asked this singularly important question that I believe should be posed to anyone running for public office:

What books have influenced your outlook?

Here’s my shortlist:

How We Think – John Dewey

Experience and Education – John Dewey

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey

Our Kids – Robert Putnam

Bearing the Cross – David Garrow

Someone Has to Fail – David Labaree

Empowered Educators – Linda Darling-Hammond & others

Abraham Lincoln: The War Years – Carl Sandburg

The Cost of Discipleship – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Reign of Error – Diane Ravitch

There’s more – but that is a start. I love to talk about books – they fuel my insatiable curiosity.  I think such a question should be especially important to ask a candidate for a school board since they are vying to lead an educational institution. 

Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened yet.

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