The Ethical Development of School Principals

by Neil Dempster

Overview

In this conference paper, Professor Neil Dempster expands on his previous work about principal professional development (see Principal Professional Development: A fine balance.) He suggests there is a relationship between the contemporary political climate of school leadership (NPM, New Public Management), and an increase in ethical dilemmas faced by principals. The paper looks at four circumstances in which principals most frequently face ethical dilemmas: students, staff, finance and resources, and external relations. Readers can find case studies related to each of these circumstances on pages 12–16. The discussion questions following each case could provide a useful focus for discussion.

You might wish to use these case studies as a framework for developing cases of ethical dilemmas from your own school. These could be discussed with other colleagues as part of a professional learning activity.

Reflective questions

These reflective questions might guide you in your reading of this article:

  • Table 4 lists some of the contestable values commonly identified as problems for principals. Which one have you dealt with recently? How did you work through the issues? Is there anything you would do differently next time?
  • All teachers face ethical dilemmas every day. What are some of the ways you deal with them as a staff?

Suggested reading

Ethical Leadership by Larry Lashway.

The Ethical School by Felicity Haynes. This book is available as an e-book for purchase from this link. Reference for the paperback edition is: Haynes, F. (1998) The Ethical School (Educational Management Series). Routledge March, ISBN: 0415141850.

Making a Difference by Managing Dilemmas by Carol Cardno.

Reference

Dempster, N. (2001, August). The ethical development of school principals. Paper presented at the International Leadership Institute, Adelaide. Reproduced with permission.

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