🎯 Taking Aim at School Safety

⭐ Could Lincoln’s Example Be the Shortcut to Safer Schools? Abraham Lincoln led a divided nation by resisting favoritism, surrounding himself with rivals, and modeling integrity in action—not just words. Today, our schools face a challenge, and the fastest way to improve may be to follow The Lincoln Standard. Discover how Lincoln’s timeless leadership principles can have an immediate and significant impact by continuing below.

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đŸŽ„ The Lincoln Standard


Character First: The Shortcut to Safer Schools.

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Character First: The Shortcut to Safer Schools

If you’ve ever coached peewee sports, little league, or a rec team, you already know this: the quickest way to ruin the culture of a team is to show favoritism.

Kids spot it instantly. And when they do, trust breaks down. Once trust is gone, everything else begins to fall apart. Parents with more than one child know this too—show favoritism at home, and problems appear almost overnight.

We’ve all heard the phrase: “It’s who you know.”

Relationships do matter. Building friendships, helping neighbors, and caring for others is important—and even biblical. But when leaders put personal relationships ahead of what’s right, they set a dangerous example. The message becomes clear: the way to get ahead isn’t through hard work or sacrifice, but by serving relationships—even if it means sacrificing integrity.

This doesn’t just hurt kids on a team; it damages entire organizations. And when it takes root inside schools, the consequences are magnified.

How Do We Fix It?

The fastest way is through leadership at the top—school boards, superintendents, and anyone who sets the tone for the culture.

Culture always flows down. And the best way to set it isn’t with words or slogans, but with actions.

As legendary basketball coach John Wooden said:

“The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own personal example.”

A Lesson from Lincoln

History gives us a model in Abraham Lincoln.

In the middle of a divided nation, he could have surrounded himself with yes-men. Instead, he brought in rivals and critics to sharpen him. Doris Kearns Goodwin highlights this in Team of Rivals.

Lincoln knew that real leadership isn’t about favoritism or silencing dissent. It’s about building trust through honesty, accountability, and openness—even when uncomfortable.

As Martin Luther King Jr. put it:

“Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles. Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances.”

What Is the Lincoln Standard?

The Lincoln Standard is leadership that resists favoritism.
Leadership that chooses character over comfort.
Leadership that sets an example worth following.

The Consequences of Favoritism

But let’s be real. When adults chase approval, serve relationships, and try to impress powerful people, everyone sees it.

Imagine someone who knows they were given authority, promoted, or recognized not because of merit, but because of who they served. It breeds arrogance. And arrogance brings consequences. Such leaders can feel untouchable, even if they’re ineffective. And when they’re high up, the well-being of thousands of children is on the line.

And the damage doesn’t stop there. Favoritism drives away good people. Talented teachers and staff eventually leave, realizing their integrity and effort won’t matter as much as politics. Schools lose their best voices and are left with people who play the game rather than serve kids.

Even worse, favoritism eventually feels normal. No one questions it anymore.

The message spreads: power matters more than principle.

And that turns the Golden Rule upside down. Instead of treating others the way they want to be treated, people learn to please the powerful—even if it means stepping away from fairness and respect.

Coaches see this clearly. When a player is connected—maybe the child of an influential family—there’s pressure to give them more playing time. Talent takes a back seat to influence.

The same toxic dynamic seeps into schools when favoritism goes unchecked. Once the Golden Rule is abandoned, culture bends toward fear and politics instead of trust and integrity.

The Good News

This isn’t a slow problem to fix. The fastest way to make a positive change is for leaders to choose character first.

When those at the top set the standard, the ripple effects are immediate.

Trust returns.
Fear lifts.
Teachers feel valued.
Students feel safe.

The whole culture begins to shift.

That is The Lincoln Standard.

Character first. Example first. Action first.

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