I Think The Honeymoon is Over

Well, it seems the discontent over Principal Leto's leadership is starting to mount. The basic issue - lack of direction, and a seeming inability to make hard choices and back them up. I'm starting to hear more and more people say things like "at least Palpatine got stuff done." And while I don't particularly disagree, I still stop far short of remembering the Palpatine regime with any kind of nostalgia.

Now, I've worked under truly incompetent principals before - and I wouldn't quite put Leto in that category. He seems to be a highly intelligent and capable man with a balanced sense of ethics and morals. But there seems to be a lack of fortitude to face confrontation head on, and to push through adversity to get done what he thinks he needs to get done. Maybe I need to get him a green power ring.

I know, I know - Palpatine had those qualities in spades. But the problem was I didn't trust her motivations, and saw a blatant lack of concern for the genuine well-being of her staff and even the students. Or... maybe that's not true - maybe she truly believed that high test scores were the secret to success in life (her life, anyway). Regardless, it's a classic might-makes-right vs. might-for-right dilema. Palpatine had the might, Leto has the right. If only I could splice them together and filter out the impurities.

Far be it from me to be too critical - I mean I'm not even fit to be department chair myself, much less an administrator. But I'm still allowed an opinion, and my official opinion is - I really like Principal Leto, I really do. But I'm starting to fear for him, and I'm quickly losing confidence that he'll ever start to wield his authority in a meaningful kind of way - a way that will benefit the campus as a whole. In the mean time, I am still enjoying the glorious absence of Palpatine in my life. And it may be selfish of me, but I know how to get by under a weak principal (benevolent or otherwise)... I can manage my own well enough, given the freedom to do so. It's those lawful evil dictators that really throw a wrench in my works.

So, Principal Leto - I pray (more for your sake than for mine) that you find your voice on campus - preferably sooner than later. But you must forgive me if I take measures to fortify myself against an inevitable pendulum swing that might drop my tranquil little fiefdom into the lap of another malevolent tyrant.

Of course, it may not happen.... soon, anyway. Our last 'inactive' principal was incompetent to the point of failing to prepare the school for our accreditation process, and allowing the test scores to dip dramatically. She also failed to show up to work on time, and avoided responsibility like the plague. I don't think basic professionalism is Leto's problem - and he certainly doesn't have Palpatine's habit of aggressively making enemies of superiors, colleagues and subordinates alike. In short - he's not the kind of guy that will give the district strong reasons to want to replace him. In fact, the district brass are high on his "Keep Them Happy" list (which is a really long list, by the way - one of his shortcomings.) He's a good, obedient administrator which may offer him some protection for the time being.