Ten claims about teacher leadership that merit rethinking

This paper critically interrogates 10 dominant claims about teacher leadership that shape contemporary educational discourse. While often portrayed as universally empowering and beneficial, many claims rely on reductive assumptions that overlook power dynamics, cultural variation, and institutional inequities. Drawing on critical and international literature, the analysis reframes teacher leadership as a socially constructed and ethically situated practice. It challenges the notion that leadership is inherently inclusive or always positive, showing how it may reinforce exclusion or managerialism. The paper calls for a reimagining of teacher leadership rooted in equity, dialogue, and contextual responsiveness to foster more transformative leadership in schools.