School Leaders' Think Tank

Freedom Costs Blood—So Make It Count

June 30, 2025

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Monday Manifest: The Drive Forward

DECLARE

This week, as flags fly and fireworks boom, let’s not forget: freedom is not a feeling—it’s a sacrifice.
Someone bled for your freedom. Spiritually. Nationally. Professionally.

As school leaders, our job is not just to wave the banner of progress. We must also carry the cross of responsibility.
Remember this: Your title may grant you authority, but it’s your sacrifice that earns respect.

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DEVELOP

Research shows that leaders who model self-sacrifice—especially in high-need schools—build higher levels of trust, collaboration, and resilience in their teams.
(Source: Leithwood & Louis, “Linking Leadership to Learning,” 2012)

And let’s bring in the Word:

John 15:13 (KJV)
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Whether it’s a classroom, a district, or a church pulpit—freedom always runs red.
Are we truly living in a way that honors the blood shed by soldiers? Do we honor the sacrifice made by the Savior?

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DELIVER

This week’s challenge:
Don’t just talk leadership—bleed for it.

• Sacrifice something personal for the good of your team.
• Make one decision that costs you convenience but brings someone else hope.
• Speak the truth in love, even when it’s not popular.

Declare your own Educational Declaration of Independence:
“I am not bound by fear, apathy, or the status quo. I am free to lead courageously because I serve a cause greater than myself.”

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This Fourth of July, wave the flag—but live the freedom.

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