The Leadership Series

Ethics in Educational Leadership: Can You Defend Your Decisions?

This course is aimed at all active K–12 school and system leaders employed in the following positions: principal, assistant or vice principal, superintendent, assistant superintendent, curriculum directors, intermediate unit executive director, intermediate unit assistant executive director, and director of an area vocational-technical school.

Each of the five sessions will explore reality-based situations that call for educators to make a difficult choice. Through practice, reflection, inquiry, and discussions with educators statewide, participants can learn how to address tough ethical problems.

Course Dates (Fall 2013)

Classes will run from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the following dates (Thursdays):

October 3, 17, 24
November 7, 21
Register online for fall 2013.

Course Overview

The five course sessions will be held on Thursday evenings from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on the dates listed below. Sessions will be live at the University Park campus and broadcast via videoconference to numerous locations statewide. These sessions will be archived for viewing at a later date if a schedule conflict causes absence at one of the Thursday evening sessions.

October 3, 2013
Session 1: An Introduction to Ethical Decision Making in Education: Personal Lives and Professional Responsibilities

  • Review of the ethical frames of justice, care, critique/power, and the profession
  • Answering the question: As role models, must educators relinquish their personal rights?
  • Discussion of dilemmas involving personal lives versus professional responsibilities

October 17, 2013
Session 2: The Role of Ethics, Morals, and Values in Educational Decision Making: Ethical Decision Making in a Diverse Society 

  • How critical incidents shape our values and ethical decision making
  • Our own personal codes of ethics vs. our professional codes of ethics
  • Influence of community standards on ethical decision making
  • Advocating for children and issues of equality vs. equity

October 24, 2013
Session 3: The Intersection of Law and Ethics: What Is Legal May Not Be Ethical 

  • Limitations of the law
  • Review of specific court decisions in light of ethical frameworks
  • The use of data in making legal and ethical decisions
  • How school leaders can create an environment that is legally, educationally, and ethically sound

November 7, 2013
Session 4: Ethics, Accountability, Responsibility, and Leadership Styles 

  • Ethical issues related to high-stakes testing and NCLB requirements
  • Issues of educators’ accountability and responsibility
  • Problems related to cheating
  • Various leadership styles and their relationship to ethics

November 21, 2013
Session 5: Keeping Schools Safe in the Best Interests of the Student 

  • What constitutes students’ best interests
  • Safety vs. privacy issues
  • School safety and zero tolerance policies
  • Cyber-bullying, sexting, and cell phones