School Leadership and Pedagogy for the Common Good

"In this attractively written book, Anthony Luby draws upon many years of teaching and research to propose ways forward for Catholic education in a secular context. How do we best serve our children? Luby's approach neither reduces education to direct evangelisation nor erases the Catholic "thing". He recognises the need for the Church to adopt a measure of self-limitation in a pluralist culture. He develops St Thomas' notion of valid "secondary ends" and carefully distinguishes the secular realm, where the common good can be pursued by believers of different persuasions or none, from the profane where any public presence of religion is arbitrarily vetoed. Responding to a complex, delicate, ever-fluctuating social context, Luby's contribution is a thoughtful and thought-provoking one. It deserves to be taken seriously."

Hugh Gilbert, Bishop of Aberdeen.

"What can a (non-Catholic) Christian senior lecturer from a liberal university in Amsterdam, a Jewish head teacher at a secular state school in Nottinghamshire, a Glaswegian Catholic teacher (the author of this book), and a practising Muslim head teacher of a Catholic school in Rotterdam teach us about leadership and pedagogy in Catholic schools operating in a pluralist culture in today’s world? Written in an elegant and winning manner, Antony Luby’s book offers a surprising and well-thought-out answer."

Rev. Tony Schmitz, Deacon, St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen, UK.

"School Leadership and Pedagogy for the Common Good is an exceptional and timely contribution to contemporary educational leadership studies. I have used a chapter of this book as a core text in a postgraduate course on education in diversity, and the results have been consistently positive: it has stimulated deep reflection, rigorous debate, and a renewed sense of purpose among experienced educators and emerging leaders alike.

What makes this book particularly powerful is its refusal to frame faith and secularity as opposing forces. Instead, through rich, carefully narrated case studies, it demonstrates how deeply held values—whether rooted in religious traditions, humanistic philosophy, or community ethics—can serve as legitimate and constructive sources of educational leadership. The stories from Rotterdam and England illustrate leadership that is relational rather than bureaucratic, grounded in trust rather than control, and oriented toward the common good rather than narrow performance metrics.

For postgraduate students, especially those working in culturally and religiously diverse contexts, the book offers both conceptual clarity and practical insight. It provides concrete examples of how leaders translate values into daily practices: empowering teachers, co-creating shared norms with communities, and maintaining high expectations without sacrificing dignity or inclusion. These narratives resonate strongly with students, who often recognize similar tensions in their own professional settings.

Antony Luby’s guiding voice adds intellectual depth and ethical coherence. His ability to connect lived experience, scholarly reflection, and moral inquiry makes the book accessible without being simplistic, and reflective without losing analytical rigor.

I strongly recommend this book for postgraduate programs in educational leadership, diversity and inclusion, ethics in education, and policy studies. It is not only an academic resource, but also a formative text—one that invites educators to rethink leadership as a moral, communal, and profoundly human endeavor."

Prof. Dr. Daniel Ernesto Stigliano, Global Head for Scholas Chairs Program, The Pontifical Foundation Scholas Occurrentes.

"What a superb book - more than a book, an engagement, a reflection, an honest reflective but well researched piece of work. It made me laugh, especially when the author, Antony Luby, wrote with honesty, "27 pairs of eyes, 27, all looking at me, for help, for guidance: what am I to do?” (chapter 5), I know exactly what he meant; or as some bright child pointed out, "there's more evidence for the existence of UFO's than God" (chapter 6). Oh, how true that is, from many a young person’s point of view; and so it was throughout the book, the author’s brilliant, honest and humble rhetoric about his past experiences - now that is really refreshing.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the varying points, from Aziem especially, but also Chris Wilson and of course the emphasis on dialogue as well as to be found in chapter nine, the emphasis on the ‘sacred, secular, profane’. I must confess I had not known of "Scholas Occurrentes" and having now explored Pope Francis’s innovative non-profit organisation which he set up in 2013, I have found something that is both very interesting and so relevant in today’s troubled educational world. In my opinion, the author has a lot to contribute to this organisation, and I hope he has considered this as part of his mission.

Antony is so right when he points out there is a huge problem with liberal secularism although, having now discovered “Flying High” in his book, and still trying to get a handle on this, I have great hope that this may be the way forward in education.

Yes, ‘listening and dialogue’ is the key to the future educational program, I absolutely agree, but the question is how do we reach out to those who devise the state curriculum and integrate Antony’s excellent research into the curriculum for the benefit of all? How do we dispose of the emphasis on so-called educational and material subject matter that does not benefit the young person in any way but contradicts family and societal values thus causing confusion?

Antony Luby’s book gives much to think about. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone stepping into any educational setting and who seeks to delve into a holistic approach in developing the student. I know it will be a success because it is alive, it is action research, it is funny, it is identifiable, it is profound and inclusive."

Dr Sylvia A. Hoskins, PhD, MEd, BSc (Hons), FHEA.