Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education: Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Complex Dilemmas, Second Edition

by Joan Poliner Shapiro, Jacqueline A. Stefkovich, Jacqueline A. Stefk

This text--developed in response to an increasing interest in ethics and a growing number of courses on this topic that are now being offered in educational leadership programs--is designed to fill a gap in instructional materials for teaching the ethics component of the knowledge base that has been established for the profession. Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education: Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Complex Dilemmas, Second Edition:
*demonstrates the application of different ethical paradigms (the ethics of justice, care, critique, and the profession) through discussion and analysis of real-life moral dilemmas that educational leaders face in their schools and communities;
*addresses some of the practical, pedagogical, and curricular issues related to the teaching of ethics for educational leaders;
*emphasizes the importance of ethics instruction from a variety of theoretical approaches; and
*provides a process that instructors might follow to develop their own ethics unit or course.

Part I provides an overview of why ethics is so important, especially for today's educational leaders, and presents a multiparadigm approach essential to practitioners as they grapple with ethical dilemmas. Part II deals with the dilemmas themselves. It includes a brief introduction to how the cases were constructed, an illustration of how the multiparadigm approach may be applied to a real dilemma, and ethical dilemmas written by graduate students that represent the kinds of dilemmas faced by practicing administrators in urban, suburban, and rural settings in an era full of complexities and contradictions. Part III focuses on pedagogy and provides teaching notes for the instructor. The authors discuss the importance of self-reflection on the part of both instructors and students, and model how they thought through their own personal and professional ethical codes as well as reflected upon the critical incidents in their lives that shape their teaching and frequently determine what they privileged in class.

New in the Second Edition:
*A completely new chapter emphasizing religious differences and presenting the contradictions between religion and culture;
*A completely new chapter on testing, juxtaposing the paradox of accountability with responsibility;
*Several new dilemmas focusing on higher education, recognizing that many educational leadership training programs include students with this focus; and
*Changes throughout to update the text, including a discussion of recent scholarship in the field of ethical leadership.

Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education: Applying Theoretical Perspectives to Complex Dilemmas, Second Edition is easily adaptable for a variety of uses with a wide range of audiences. It is equally valuable as a text for university courses related to the preparation of educational leaders and as a professional reference for aspiring and practicing administrators, teacher leaders, office personnel, and educational policy makers.

Genres: Leadership, Education, Grad School, Nonfiction, School

200 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Tommy Kiedis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education provides an overview of the ethics of justice, critique, and care. The authors argue for a fourth ethical paradigm, that of professional ethics. Shapiro and Stefkovich provide a framework to help educators develop that "professional ethic" paradigm through the use of a dynamic, multidimensional model.

The author's overview of the ethics of justice, critique, and care is clear, sufficient, and brief. Personally, I would like to see them treat that portion of their book with a little more depth. That said, their overview of the literature and documentation is stellar and their explanations cogent.

Shapiro and Stefkovich do a really outstanding job of highlighting the complexity, i.e. paradoxical nature of ethical decisions. Their case-study approach is helpful and made more so by the number and variety of cases they attach to each of the complex dilemmas an educational leader may face.

It is easy to see why this book is in its fourth edition. A very helpful resource and guide. I echo Martha McCarthy's words: "This book is a must-read for the educational leaders and those who prepare them for their ethically challenging roles."

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scenarios in the book really make you think about what the right thing to do is. The authors provide a guide into ethical decision making and provide diverse problems to apply the skills. It was very interesting.

[Jeannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an engaging introduction to ethical educational leadership. Ethics have always fascinated me, and the lack of them has often frustrated me. The case studies in this were really helpful in illustrating the practical applications of ethical principles.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best ethics in education books I've read!

[Douglas W · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Good: Great scenarios and subsequent questions. Well-explained and developed multi-paradigm ethical approach.

The Bad: As with most ethics books, this book does not have a standard from which to make some of its claims. It shares no epistemology with its reader. The authors simply state a way of ethical practice, but provide no foundation. As a Christian, this bothers me unendingly. If there is not a transcendent and omnipotent God who, in His aseity and sovereignty, is the Source of all truth and the Judge and Determiner of right and wrong, how can anyone make any ethical decisions?

[Mike Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book. It changed the way I saw ethical dilemmas after the first time and this was a good refresher. The value in this book is that it shows how a situation can be viewed from many different perspectives. It helped me to understand which perspectives I was most comfortable with and which ones I needed to spend more time considering. The book is full of practical, believable case studies and invites the reader to ask excellent questions about each. I highly recommend that all school leaders read this book.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text outlines the frameworks or lenses that educational leaders use to make decisions. Shapiro identifies the folloiwng ethical paradigms - ethic of care, ethic of critique, ethic of justice, and ethic of profession. The text offers case studies that promote exploration of the various ethics and how they apply to specific situations. This is clearly a text that emphasizes refection on practice.

[Ellon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was terrible. I had to buy it for my Public School Law class and stopped reading it after about 2 weeks into the class. The authors make the scenarios sound ridiculous with the way they are written. I couldn't get through the scenarios without laughing.

[Salihah Alsharari]

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[Heather Fidler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent textbook with practical, real-life scenarios.