Public receptivity to open education as a specific example of school reform has sometimes been less than enthusiastic. For this reason, the would-be progressive school principal faces a challenging task of inquiry, information, persuasion, and affirmative action. It is explicit in the story of British open education that the head teacher plays a vital role in the development and support of the program. Similarly, a strong assumption in American writings is that the principal will and must be an educational leader. It follows, then, that unless principals do commit themselves to the cause of open education, that cause may not flourish. Leadership in planning, provisioning, and more imaginative exploitation of the school's physical environment is one of the important contributions a principal can make. (Author)