DeRay Mckesson Quotes

The [teachers’] unions and the [school] districts have very different stakes in local control. The districts want the money and the programs that higher level governments can provide, but they also want autonomy in determining how resources are allocated. The unions are much less wedded to local autonomy. Indeed, much of their lobbying at the state level is to limit the autonomy of the districts.

There are some folks at the teacher's union who aren't big fans of mine, in part, because I have been open and want to make sure everybody is sitting at the table as we talk about education.

During my time as a state legislator, I've pushed for significant investment in public school districts. In Congress, I would look forward to increasing federal public investment in education through initiatives like Race to the Top.

Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together.

One thing I learned particularly at Yale was how to work with others. Having studied so long trying to master myself, the biggest challenge was learning about the other person's work.

Boards and myself get along somehow.

Settle all things, both great and small, by consultation. Without prior consultation, take no important step.

More than fifty cents on the dollar in our public school system in the United States is spent on Administration. If you know of a private industry that spends more than fifty cents on the dollar on administration and is still making a profit, I would like to know what it is.

If you can't get along with the head of the government with which you are working, you won't get anything done—nothing!

Leaders alone can rarely make peace. They have to bring people along.

To restore our public schools, we must put an end to the selfish agenda of the union bosses.

By nature, I am a unifier. I am a builder of consensus. I don't believe in sloppy compromise. But I do believe in bringing people together.

Heck, nobody gets along perfectly. But what we have is respect for one another. We have a system where one guy can veto anything.

I've got my own mind, and I'll talk about it, but I'm willing to listen. I'm very balanced like that. If you don't want a guy who's balanced, who wants to win, and can bring people together well... I don't know.

A leader's job is to find common ground.

Every one of us in Congress has a responsibility to keep working together and stay focused on what matters.

From collaborating with other people, you make concessions, and those concessions are great because sometimes you are definitely wrong.

There's always been conflict, inherent conflict between players and coaches.

When it comes to filmmaking, we have to deal with ego, anger, and a lot more; barring all these, how the team works towards the outcome matters.

I'm a leader, not a dictator. I want to persuade people rather than threaten or control them.

As Governor of North Carolina for two terms, I made improving education a top priority.

I played on teams with 24 guys pulling the rope one way and one guy pulling the other. I've seen how destructive it can be. I tell them, 'If 13 of you are insanely successful and one fails, we all lose.'

You learn how to compromise and you learn how to read each other. Honestly, being in a band with two guys has prepared me so much for when it's time for me to get married!

Let the Dean and Canons lay their heads together and the thing will be done.

Consensus building doesn't necessarily fit with my experience.