The Call to Courage: Shelley Berman Navigates Divisive Forces in Public Education

An Imperfect Leader

Jamie Almanzán and I are thrilled to announce our guest, Dr. Shelley Berman, a veteran superintendent with over 28 years of experience across Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Oregon. He’s also the co-author of The Call to Courage, a timely book co-written with Dr. Luvelle Brown, Superintendent of Ithaca.

In this episode, Shelley delves into the growing ideological divisions and attacks on public education that threaten our democratic foundations. He highlights key themes from his book, addressing how educators and leaders can foster the courage to stand firm in the face of divisiveness, while still championing inclusivity, diversity, and democratic values.

Throughout the conversation, Shelley offers insight into:

• Navigating the pressures from extremist groups targeting public education.
• Cultivating safe, inclusive spaces for all students, irrespective of their background or identity.
• How school leaders can reclaim the narrative in their communities and maintain their moral focus on student success.

Don't miss this compelling discussion about the call to courageous leadership in the most challenging of times!

Plus check out this link to the Rocket PD seminar he and Luvelle Brown are hosting:

The link to The Call to Courage on the publisher’s website is (it’s also available on Amazon).

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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at www.human-centeredleaders.com.

Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.

Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.