The Strongest Voice in the Room: And It’s Not the Teacher

“Leadership isn’t just about who’s reading—it’s about who we’re leaving behind.”

The Hidden Gap in Literacy Leadership

We’ve all heard the phrase: “Leaders are readers.” It’s a mantra echoed in schools, businesses, and communities around the world. It makes sense—reading expands the mind, fuels critical thinking, and builds the foundation for leadership.

But here’s a question we don’t ask enough:

“What happens to the kids who can’t read? And how do we lead them when they’ve already been left behind?”

When I was the Dean of a middle school, I had a room full of students who had been passed over, labeled, and left out. Many couldn’t read on grade level—some because of dyslexia, others due to family challenges, and some carrying the invisible weight of learning disabilities that had gone undiagnosed for years.

They weren’t “readers” in the traditional sense.

But they were brilliant.

They had ideas, creativity, and leadership potential buried beneath the layers of shame and frustration that come with years of feeling “less than” in a system that values test scores over stories.

The Leadership Gap We Don’t Talk About

When Peer Leadership Turns Risky

In every classroom, there’s a leader. Sometimes, it’s not the loudest voice or the most outgoing student — it’s the one who holds the subtle power to influence others, for better or worse.

In my class, that leader wasn’t the strongest reader—he struggled with reading himself—but he commanded influence through confidence and social power. Despite his academic challenges, students followed him because they saw him as smart in other ways. He wasn’t using his leadership to uplift — he was using it to control. He led the group of boys who couldn’t read, shaping how they behaved, what they valued, and how they viewed school.

This raises a critical question:

“When do educators step in? And how do we guide student leaders to use their influence for good?”

The administrators and counselors saw it. They recognized that while this boy had leadership skills, he was pulling others further away from learning rather than bringing them closer. It wasn’t malicious — it was survival, a way to feel powerful in a system where many students felt powerless.

But the danger is real. When peer leadership reinforces negative behaviors or distances students from literacy, it creates deep divides.

When we talk about leaders who are readers, we often picture the “successful” students—the ones breezing through honors classes, acing essays, and racking up college credits before they’ve even graduated.

But the students in my classroom?

• The one with dyslexia who could decode complex video game strategies but struggled with basic phonics.
• The student who’d moved between foster homes, missing foundational reading years.
• The teen who was a natural leader in the lunchroom but froze when asked to read aloud.

These students had leadership qualities in spades. But they were never invited to the table because they couldn’t navigate text in the way the system demanded.

You knew who their leader was—the student who struggled with reading but still led the group of boys, shaping their behaviors and attitudes. His influence wasn’t built on academic skills but on social dominance and confidence. He used his social influence, despite his own reading struggles, to pull in all the weak readers, forming a tight group that resisted the teacher’s efforts. None of them wanted to do anything the teacher said, following the leader’s cues over classroom expectations. His leadership wasn’t academic at all—it was purely social, built on the dynamics of peer pressure and the need for belonging. The administrators and counselors recognized his role, but the critical question remained—when do you step in before his influence pulls the others further away from learning? He led with influence, masking his insecurities by controlling the dynamics of the group. His leadership wasn't academic—it was social survival, built on the need for belonging and respect. Admin and counselors need to get involved before these kids eject.

Leaders Who Pull In Non-Readers

True leadership isn’t just about being the one with the loudest voice or the highest reading level. It’s about pulling others forward, even when they can’t walk the same path.

So, what does it look like when leaders who read reach back and bring in those who struggle?

• ?? Mentorship programs where strong readers pair with struggling ones—not to tutor, but to collaborate.
• ?? Audiobooks and podcasts that allow dyslexic students to engage with content without shame.
• ?? Student-led discussions where oral storytelling is valued just as much as written essays.
• ?? Project-based learning that highlights creativity and problem-solving, even when reading levels vary.

Because leadership isn’t just about what you read—it’s about who you bring with you on the journey.

Breaking the Shame Cycle

Reeling Them Back In

So, how does a teacher reel students back in when a strong peer leader pulls them away from learning?

1. Build Trust First:
2. Redirect Peer Influence:
3. Empower Silent Voices:
4. Create Collaborative Projects:
5. Involve Admin and Counselors:
6. Celebrate Small Wins:

“The strongest voice in the room doesn’t have to drown out the others. It can amplify them.”

Many struggling readers carry deep shame—especially in middle school, where peer influence is strong and the stakes for social belonging are high. They’ve spent years hiding their struggles, especially as the school was shifting into an urban environment, avoiding reading aloud, or skipping assignments.

I saw it in my class:

• Students who wouldn’t make eye contact when asked to read.
• Kids who’d say, “I’m just dumb,” when faced with complex texts.
• Teens who’d rather get sent to the office than admit they couldn’t follow along.

But I also saw something else: hope—when they realized there were different ways to lead and different paths to literacy.

“I thought I couldn’t be a leader because I’m bad at reading,” one student told me.

How Do We Lead ALL Students?

If we truly believe that leaders are readers, then we must also believe this:

“Every student has the potential to lead—if we give them the tools, the time, and the trust.”

So how do we help those who struggle with reading become leaders?

1. Value Different Literacies:
2. Make Reading Accessible:
3. Empower Peer Leaders:
4. Focus on Strengths, Not Deficits:
5. Normalize Struggle:

The Bigger Picture

“The future of every classroom lies not just in who reads the loudest, but in who reaches back and pulls others forward.”

The goal isn’t just to create more readers. The goal is to create more leaders—leaders who can read, think critically, and most importantly, pull others forward.

Because leadership isn’t about how many books you’ve read—it’s about how many people you’ve lifted along the way. Every day we wait, peer dynamics deepen, and the distance between readers and non-readers grows wider. Educators and leaders must recognize these shifts early—because waiting too long means losing them to influences that pull them further away.

So, the next time we say “leaders are readers,” let’s make sure we’re also asking:

“Who are we leaving behind?”

And more importantly—

“How can we bring them with us?”

Call to Action:

#?? Hashtags to Join the Conversation:

#LiteracyLeadership #StudentVoices #HiddenLeaders #EducationMatters #PeerInfluence #MiddleSchoolMatters #DyslexiaAwareness #LeadershipForAll

?? Educators, parents, and community leaders: Think about your own classrooms and communities—who’s the strongest voice in the room? And are they leading others toward learning or away from it?

Let’s talk. Share your thoughts below. Who are your hidden leaders—and how do we help them lift others up? ????