Ethics
The candidate acts with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
Wisconsin Administrator Standard 6
The administrator acts with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.
Revised 5-2016
The following rationale and artifacts demonstrate my development as an emerging leader and provide evidence that the standard has been met.
Self-Reflection/Rationale:
As a leader, one is always in the spotlight and under the microscope. People are always judging decisions and any actions. Because of this, principals must act with integrity, fairness, and ethics. One of the integral parts of my leadership philosophy is integrity. Integrity is built with honesty and trust amongst stakeholders. I strongly feel that being honest and trustworthy with students, staff, and community will build respect. According to the National Education Association, “The educator recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, and the nurture of the democratic principles. The educator accepts the responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards.” I have lived my life trying to model honesty and trustworthiness in my leadership positions. As I have incorporated these two qualities into my personality, people have told me that they respect me for being honest, and that is why they seek me out and want to interact and communicate with me. They know that with honest answers, I am always attacking the tasks that are at hand, and not “sugar coating” or “beating around the bush.” I feel that problems are only compounded if people are not realistic or honest. In order to problem solve, leaders need to be act appropriately and in a timely matter. Once all the information is present, then the situation can be discussed, and a systematic plan can be created. Without honestly, people feel that they are not being told the whole truth, or that information is being withheld. This loses the sense of community, trust, and respect, and ultimately, the integrity of the leader is lost. Also, fairness is a part of gaining integrity. One of the most frustrating things that I encounter is when leaders make decisions without explanations. The staff needs to understand that equal is not fair, and that sometimes being fair might mean more support or money allocated to specific areas within the school. No matter what decisions are made, I always feel that in order for leaders to keep their integrity, they need to give explanations of what/why decisions are made. Overall, decision making always needs to focus on the mission, vision, and the goals. When it comes to being fair, stakeholders must also understand that the overall purpose of the school is for safety and education of the children. As principal, I will always be prepared to explain decisions, and why I consider them to be fair. Growing up in a Lutheran/Christian household, I feel that morals and ethics are simply a part of good people. People who are simply considered “good” are those who look out for others, take care of others, are unselfish, and do the right things. As a faithful Christian, these two attributes have guided many of my life decisions. Sometimes, I feel that certain decisions need to be made simply because it is the right thing to do. Oftentimes, policies interfere with moral and ethical decisions, and this is why I feel that a principal needs to work with his or her staff, superintendent, and school board to make some policies and decisions that are just, ethical, and moral. I have lived my life this way, raised my family this way, and intend to run a school that is built on ethics, morals, and respect. Why? Because I feel it is the right thing to do. The world needs to be filled with these attributes. These are qualities that all people and future leaders of our world/society must have. If it is not taught/stressed at home, the school needs to do its best to incorporate these good qualities within its organization.
In my “Code of Ethics” artifact for EDL 792 Values and Ethical Leadership, I supported my rational and created a code by which I will administrate. I received an “A” for my reflection and incorporation of my Code of Ethics into my current school. This was created during the spring semester of 2016. Within my code, I included the main ethical codes that have been published by various Educational Associations, but I also added some specific ethical codes in which I feel are important. These include: a) Creates teams and surrounds him- or herself with educated or experienced individuals to aid in the decision making process. b) Encourages that decisions are supported with data and/or rationale c) Understands the wellbeing of others, before considering the wellbeing of himself d) Creates a community and curriculum that supports and embraces area culture e) Models positive behaviors, including moral, ethical, emotional, and social intelligence. I firmly believe that the culture and history of the school, or the individual, must be considered when making ethical decisions. Also, I feel that we must prepare all students to reach their goals. We need educate our students and staff both academically and personally. In order for any individual to be productive, self-confident, or a lifelong learner, they need to be holistically well. As an ethical and moral principal, I will also recognize the strengths and weaknesses of each individual. I will recognize and celebrate the diversity and cultures within the school. By identifying and supporting the diversity of the school, it gives the school a sense of community, and allows all stakeholders to feel comfortable within it. Finally, I will encourage and welcome community support and involvement for the overall improvement of the both the school and the community.
I fully understand that principals must understand that all of their actions, behaviors, and decisions not only affect the school, but also the community. Because of this, the principal must always act with integrity and fairness, and in an ethical manner. I also understand that the principal is the sole spokesperson for the school. All stakeholders must clearly understand the intention of the principal. Principals build ethical character through a variety of ways. One of these ways is to be actively engaged in the non-academic activities of their school. Students, staff, parents, and community members notice when principals attend athletic or other extra-curricular events. Attendance at these events gives stakeholders a feeling of importance and pride. Socializing during these events allows the principal to have multiple conversations with stakeholders outside of the school setting or school day. Principals must also understand the culture and events happening within their community. Rituals, celebrations, and activities must be understood in order to give respect or give thanks to correct individuals or groups. All efforts should be made to contact local groups, religious centers, and business within the community. Any feedback that could guide the principal in good decision making from its community members or groups is beneficial in making ethical decisions. Finally, principals must also create opportunities for staff to become ethically educated. Besides modeling ethical behavior, principals must understand that the actions and behaviors of their staff have a direct impact on how the community views them. Because of this, principals must be very clear in what their standards are, and provide opportunities for ethical education as needed. This may be more true today than in any past time period. Administrators, staff members, and community members must understand how “Social Media” affects the views in or about the school. Control of information about the school on Social Media, and education of the public and private profiles of staff members must occur to eliminate any negative or unethical views. Overall, the character of the principal allows them to be influential. Maintaining integrity, high standards, and making decision that are moral and ethical can separate a good influential administrator from an administrator has little respect.
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