In my years as an educator and principal, one lesson remains clear: leadership is not about privilege, it’s about purpose. Particularly in communities that are underserved and under-resourced, education leadership requires a spirit of service, humility, and a deep commitment to those we serve.
The controversy surrounding a former principal of Girls’ High, shows what can happen when humble servant leadership is missing from the equation. In a well-publicized incident, the principal withheld the diploma of a Girls’ HS graduate after she danced across the stage and elicited a laugh from the crowd. The school had a long-standing tradition of a “sedate” graduation ceremony, where families were expected to refrain from clapping or cheering.Video of the ceremony and the resulting outrage went viral.
The principal was reprimanded by the district leadership and eventually transferred to what she called a “menial” position in central office. She applied to new jobs including positions at schools considered by some to be among the most prestigious in the system: Masterman, Greenberg, and Merdith. In the end, she took a job leading Feltonville Arts and Sciences. She’s now filed a lawsuit claiming her demotions were the result of racial bias (Mesi is white) that have left her working in a “position that was far from the top of Mesi’s ‘wish list’ as compared to the positions for which she was rejected.”
First, let’s get real. If you’re an education leader building “wish lists” about schools that you think you “deserve”, you’re telling on yourself. The students aren’t at the center of your work. The community the schools serve aren’t the most important thing in your work. You are the most important part of your work. Chasing prestige and status is at the center of your work.
What’s more, the idea that being reassigned from a “prestigious” position to a less coveted one constitutes racial discrimination again reveals a skewed understanding of what it means to lead. Leadership isn’t about securing a “wish list” of opportunities; it’s about rolling up your sleeves, even when the task is hard and the odds are against you.
The lawsuit and the narrative around it reflect a mindset of entitlement that some cling to, a belief that certain roles or schools are beneath them. This mindset is not just dismissive—it’s harmful.
It reflects a belief some communities “deserve” great leaders and others don’t. It betrays an attitude where some students are worthy of one’s time and others are not. It harms the students and families who deserve leaders willing to champion their potential, not begrudge their assignment.
As a Black man who has committed to serving communities who have faced marginalization and willful neglect from our public school systems across history, this just doesn’t sit right with me. I know all too well the uphill battle many of us face in securing leadership roles, particularly at “prestigious” schools. Historically, people of color were locked out of these roles altogether or assigned to schools deemed “failing” with minimal resources. Yet, we stepped up. My teams and I turned around two underperforming schools, not just because they were on my wish list (they were, because they were filled with students people had written off), but because that’s what leadership demands.
The principal’s decision to withhold diplomas sparked outrage because it ignored the cultural context of Black joy – regardless of how vociferously some alumni defended it – and the significance of celebrating achievement in communities often denied recognition. Denying students their moment of triumph over antiquated norms speaks volumes about who and what is valued in such spaces.
I’ve heard arguments that her predecessors enforced similar rules. That doesn’t do it for me. Black and brown folks have been turned away from schools, clubs, institutions, and employment for the same reason across generations. Girls High is supposed to be a space where Black excellence is celebrated, not excluded on a chippy technicality. And leadership is about evolving and responding to the needs of those we serve—not rigidly clinging to tradition at the expense of inclusion.
This controversy also shines a light on the larger systemic issues in our schools. For decades, Black leaders and other leaders of color have had to fight for legitimacy, often burdened with the expectation to succeed where others have failed. And do it without adequate support or resources. When we do succeed, the credit is rarely ours alone. But when we falter, the blame is entirely ours. This double standard is a smoldering example of why real equality in leadership remains elusive.
The students at Girls’ High deserved to be celebrated. Their families deserved to feel the pride of seeing their loved ones achieve. And the students at Feltonville Arts and Sciences School deserve a leader who sees them not as undeserving, but as a community to be celebrated, empowered, and supported to their fullest potential.
If we are serious about ensuring all children succeed and thrive, we must also be serious about what we ask of our leaders. Leadership is not a privilege—it’s a responsibility. And it’s time all of us who are called to this vocation act like it.
