10.4: Leadership as a Moral and Political Act

Ethical leaders in ECE must be advocates, courageously questioning the status quo and using their influence to shift systems, not just practices. It is their responsibility to ensure that equity, inclusion, and justice are embedded in personal values, institutional frameworks, and public policy. True change in early childhood education begins when leadership is guided by both their heart and their conscience, grounded in relationships, and committed to transforming systems for the betterment of children.

A new system implemented without reflection on who it serves, or who it harms, can become just another form of oppression. True systemic change requires examining power, challenging assumptions, and working together to build more equitable and inclusive communities

As Paulo Freire famously asserted:

Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world (Freire, 1970, p. 34).

In other words, education can either be used to make people fit into the current system and follow its rules, or it can help people think critically and creatively so they can understand the world and work to change it. Freire’s insight reminds us that education is not neutral; it is either a tool for maintaining existing power structures, or a stimulus for freedom and transformation. bell hooks (1994), in her book titled Teaching to Transgress, emphasized Freire’s notions and the concept that real education is a political act; one that should challenge and change oppressive systems rather than uphold them. Ethical leadership must foster dialogue that empowers all voices in the change, especially those voices most impacted by inequities in our systems.

While systemic change provides a powerful framework for shifting policies, practices, and power structures, real transformation begins with people, and the conversations they are willing to have. Ethical leadership in ECE isn’t just about redesigning systems from the top down; it’s about creating space for authentic dialogue, lived experience, and courageous voice from the bottom up. As hooks and Freire indicated, change that leads to justice must be rooted in relationships, reflection, and a commitment to listening, especially to those who have historically been oppressed and silenced.

“I believe that education is the fundamental method of social progress and reform”

(Dewey, 1897, p. 80).

Curriculum as a Change Agent​​​

John Dewey (1897) viewed education not merely as a vehicle for individual growth but as a catalyst for social progress and democratic reform. He believed that true learning emerges when children engage with real social situations, connecting the students’ school to life, thus connecting students’ knowledge to the world. Dewey emphasized the importance of balancing individual development with collective responsibility, and he urged educators to align curriculum with economic, technological, and cultural changes of society. In this view, curriculum is not just a set of standards or content areas, it is a living force that shapes citizens and prepare them for democratic participation in society.