This collection of 19 essays on educational leadership, put together by Carlson (education leadership, Miami U.) and Gause (educational administration and cultural foundations, U. of North Carolina at Greensboro), explores a range of issues and concerns, but all of the contributions are committed to furthering the democratic promise of public education. Topics include discourses of "progress" and the No Child Left Behind Act, culture and conflict in schools, historical tensions about sexuality and gender in schools, facing resistance in teaching social justice, lessons from history for culturally responsive urban school leadership, institutional agency and small school reform, media literacy, and cultural representations of educators. Annotation 2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)