Page 21 - Inquiring into the Ethical Dimensions of Professional Practice

Vignette 14: Principles of Principals
As principals many initiatives are told to us as “must do’s”. As school leaders we are to facilitate implementation with the teachers with whom we serve. In the course of our monthly principal meeting, we were told by the superintendent how we were to implement changes to a particular board initiative. A colleague stated that he/she would simply mandate the changes (computer application) and staff could learn the software using the power point directions which was included in an attachment. This approach did not feel right to me. How could I just mandate the changes when I knew this would cause stress? The teachers had already entered the data in excel and now would need to re-enter the same information into the data tool. I knew that not all staff would be comfortable doing this on their own?
I began to question myself: Was I being too ‘soft’? Many other questions and dilemmas surfaced for me related to this board direction.
Do I address or enter into a discussion regarding the ‘use of power over’ (my perception) to complete the task assigned with my principal colleagues? Do I let the suggested approval by my colleague go without engaging in a conversation about possible implications (it is not my school/staff etc.)? Is something greater at play here? For example, do principals have so much coming at them that they have difficulty filtering the initiatives that come into a school and therefore, simply mandate change? Is the self-interest of the principal being privileged above the interests and needs of the teachers? Why was I putting the well-being of teachers above a senior leadership mandate?
Ethical Inquiry Cycle
Ethical Inquiry Dialogic Process
After reading the vignette, educators are invited to engage in critical reflection and dialogue related to the following ethical inquiry process:
1. Experience: Identify the ethical challenge(s), issue(s) or dimensions inherent within this vignette.
2. Reflection: Critically reflect on the underlying values or assumptions that are influencing the professional practices in this vignette.
3. Critical Analysis: Critically analyze this vignette through the ethics of Care, Respect, Trust and Integrity.
4. New Perspectives and Insights: Identify new insights or understandings have been gained from reading this vignette?
Ethical Knowledge and Action
Generate suggestions for enhancing the ethical awareness, sensitivity and ethical efficacy of the educators in this vignette?
Inquiring into the Ethical Dimensions of Professional Practice 19