not let idealism blur reality, particularly if there are warring counterproductive factions within a school and community. The school principal does considerable public relations work within the community and in general knows the "lay of the land" within the neighborhood, town or city that the school serves. Many different things define the communityùthe people who live there, the justice system, the businesses and churches, public health organizations, and the families themselvesùsometimes creating conflicts over purpose, role, and objectives (Merseth, 37). The effective principal takes action, even when communities are complex and complicated.
Sometimes principals have to act in the face of serious dilemmas, ambivalence and paradox (Merseth, 6). Sometimes serious situations cannot be completely solved, only managed. The effective administrator is able to extract and analyze the factors impinging on a school situation, knowing which is possible to control and which is not. The effective principal knows the political
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