School systems in the United States are facing a range of challenges, including declining enrollment, budget shortfalls, and shortages of teachers. Anindya Kundu, an education expert, has addressed these issues in his new book titled “Transforming Educational Leadership: Non-Traditional Narratives to Promote Equity in Uncertain Times.” The book discusses how leadership can help drive changes in education policy and practice.
“Everyone can and must be a leader in education,” Kundu said. “Even small acts make a difference.”
To develop the content for his book, Kundu interviewed students, school leaders, two former secretaries of education, and community leaders. He asked each person about what they believed was unfair in education. The book seeks to answer questions such as: “When you see something that’s unfair, what can you do about it in that instance? How can you change something that you see as unfair yourself? Or how could you and your friends change something that’s unfair?”
Kundu highlights that the experiences collected show the obstacles faced by various groups within the educational system—students, parents, educators, organizational leaders, and scholars—and illustrate ways individuals can take on leadership roles to promote collective responsibility.
“Education is more contested now than in the past and this book can help us navigate that noise and move through it,” Kundu said.
He notes that the main message of his book is that anyone—not just formal leaders—can make a difference. His intended audience includes college students preparing for careers in education, teachers seeking inspiration, academics interested in making an impact, parents, and others connected to public schools.
“I think it’s great that people care about education; it shows they care about the future,” he added. “Public education is our most important social institution — it’s about all students.”
Kundu also described writing the book as a personal project where he was able to reconnect with some of his mentors. “I have 10 stories in here of people I’ve admired for a long time. It was very cool to have met them through this project and have gotten to hear stories I had no idea about,” he said. “That was really cool — getting to hear from people I respected like Arne Duncan and John B. King.”
The book is available for purchase at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
