Exploring Moral Injury in Education: Dr. Chris Hodges on School Leaders' Moral Challenges

What happens when doing your job means going against what you know is right? In this episode of Brighter Together, Dr. Chris Hodges unpacks his dissertation research on moral injury in school leadership—a concept more commonly found in military and healthcare fields, now showing up in K–12 education. From being forced to enforce policies they don't believe in, to feeling betrayed by peers or systems, school leaders are carrying wounds that most never talk about. Dr. Hodges shares personal stories from the field, the three key forms of moral injury he uncovered (transgression of self, transgression by others, and betrayal), and how leaders are coping—or not. He offers both sobering truths and practical strategies, especially for administrators like Susan who are seeking integrity-driven leadership without burning out. If you've ever felt like the system is asking too much of your soul, this conversation is for you.