We run for office to serve, not to struggle, to represent others, build something meaningful, and give back to our communities. But sometimes, after all the forms are signed and the work begins, something shifts. And the systems that were supposed to support us begin to fall silent—or turn against us altogether. In a healthy learning environment, policies should exist to protect fairness, due process, and student voice.
Student leaders spend hours planning events, building teams, and representing our peers. What we’re not always taught is how to recognize when something is off…when a rule is applied unfairly, when a club is suddenly questioned, or when a student’s right to participate is taken away without explanation.
And when that happens, it can feel like there’s no script. And when students raise concerns, they’re met with vague answers, shifting explanations, or worse…total silence.
I’m not talking about a one-time miscommunication. I’m discussing true institutional failure.
When Advisors Overstep Their Role
Advisors are supposed to be mentors, advocates, and facilitators of student leadership, not gatekeepers.
But in some cases, advisors:
- Block club activities with no written rationale
- Interfere with student elections or representation
- Share confidential student concerns without consent
- Discourage others from supporting a student’s efforts
- Misuse their position
- Blur professional boundaries
- Interfere in student governance
These behaviors send a dangerous message that leadership is only supported when it’s convenient. Especially in a College, Postsecondary chapter, Advisors are meant to guide, not govern.
When School Administrators Break Trust
School and college administrators hold tremendous influence, but with that power comes responsibility. And when they overreach or act without transparency, it can look like:
- Discrediting student leaders in private while offering support in public
- Withdrawing institutional backing after a student reports misconduct
- Citing policies selectively, only when useful for control
- Offering “correction” with no timeline, no guidance, and no intent to help
- Exceed their authority and act beyond their mandate.
- Circumvent established process
- Fail to remain within a support role
- allow ego to take the place of best practice
These aren’t just missteps…they’re signals of a system unwilling to be held accountable.
What Student Leaders Can Do
Ask for everything in writing
Verbal promises mean little when decisions change. Request documentation, policies, and who approved what.
Challenge inconsistencies
If a policy is applied to you but not others, or if it was never enforced until you spoke up, point that out. To do this, you must know the relevant policies to your club/organization.
Speak up, even if it’s uncomfortable
Leadership doesn’t end when you’re excluded or when things seem unsolvable… Sometimes, that’s when it starts.
Find allies and build support
Retaliation thrives in silence. Seek out advisors, peers, and even external advocates who will stand with you.
This Isn’t Just About Clubs—It’s About Creating a A SAFE Community Culture for Student Leaders
If students are punished for asking questions, that’s not discipline. That’s suppression.
If policies are enforced only after someone becomes inconvenient, that’s not accountability. That’s control.
If administrators try to rewrite history to align better with their narrative, this is a form of institutional gaslighting—and it erodes trust, transparency, and student agency.
And if student leaders are pushed out the moment they advocate for fairness, we’re not teaching leadership, we’re teaching fear.
Final Thought: You Have the Right to Take Up Space
Student leadership is not a performance. It’s not earned by being quiet, agreeable, or convenient.
It’s about protecting your community, standing in your truth, and refusing to accept silence when you deserve answers.
So if you’ve ever been told you’re “too much” for asking for due process, or that you “need to calm down” when you’re asking for clarity, remember this:
- You’re not the problem.
- You’re the person paying attention.
- And that’s exactly what real leaders do.
“In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.”
If you’ve experienced institutional pushback, advisor overreach, or procedural gaslighting, your experience is valid. You don’t owe anyone silence in the face of unfairness.
Let’s redefine leadership together—on our terms, with our voices, and with the confidence to say: “I’m not going away just because I asked the right question.” Fred Rodgers
by Cooper Kias