What leadership lessons can we learn from the media stories about MLC?

There have been a number of articles written about MLC, Sydney in recent days. Let me sum up the main points and then some lessons that we can learn.

Sydney Morning Hearald

• December 10 - MLC: Private Sydney girls school in turmoil after 30 staff leave, students launch petition
• December 12 - MLC: Parents at principal's former school speak out

The following facts have been reported. I have not verified the truth of these claims as I do not have additional insight to the school or current Head Mistress. 

• The leadership of the school is authoritarian in manner 
• 30 teachers have left from 2015 to 2016
• Parents from the last school this person worked at have made negative comments 

Lessons to learn:

• Some turnover of staff in a school is a good thing! You get new staff with new ideas and experiences to share. It is also a good thing when staff leave for promotions positions at other schools. However, when such a large number of staff leave at one time, it does raise the question as to what the reason may be. This is an indication that there could be a negative environment among the workers. I would be very cautious about accepting a job at a school that has had a significant recent loss of staff. 
• Background reference checks are essential, and not just the ones that are given in the CV. A check if parent and student sentiment could be helpful, although would need to be used cautiously. 
• Parents with a grudge may go to the media. Even more common would be parents expressing their concern over social media. This ease of access to publicise a grievance leads to less people willing to pursue the role of School Principal. 
• Your past will catch up with you. It is easy to think in private schools that one you move from one school to another that you leave you successes and failures behind, but with the shrinking of the world through increased electronic communications, this is no longer the.
• No school is immune from turmoil. This well established and respected school has very quickly come under scrutiny and future is less certain. A lot of rebuilding will need to happen across the staff, parent and student bodies. I would even speculate that enrolments could be affected. 
• The Principal and leadership of a school can have a significant impact on a school so needs to be carefully done. This is a hard job with so many competing priorities and points of view. 

I don't know where this will end up for MLC, but it appears that the continuing contact of the current Head Mistress may be under question, not unlike the Head of Kings was after comments regarding his time at Knox Grammar at the Royal Commission. 

Leading schools is a tough gig!