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An Evidence-Based Approach to the Practice of Educational Leadership

First Edition
Ronald W. Rebore Angela L. E. Walmsley Saint Louis University
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Chapter 11: Ethical Considerations in Evidence-Based Leadership

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Instructional Objectives
To learn how to create a culture of evidence that will support the ethical practice of educational leadership To provide information that can be used by an educational leadership to create a personal and professional code of ethics

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Instructional Objectives
To explain how educational leaders can develop evidence-based ethical strategies that support the positive use of the power of office To understand the different approaches to evidence-based ethical decision making.

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The Evidence-Based Nature of Ethics


Human conduct emanates from experience and relationships. Reflection on the best way to maintain ethical relations will become productive if reflection is driven by the question: What does it mean to be a human being?

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The Evidence-Based Nature of Ethics


The issues that ethical analysis explores are significant because they provide evidence for decision making and require reflection upon human values. Ethical analysis offers administrators a unique kind of perspective on educational leadership issues.

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Approaching Ethics
Two ways to study ethics in educational leadership:
1. Deontological approach: right and wrong of a given action 2. Teleological approach: the goals of an action in terms of good and bad

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Approaching Ethics
Worldview Evidence is the context within which ethical norm are identified. Evidence consists of: though, reflection, and liberty and operationalized through experience, understanding, and judgment.

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Approaching Ethics
Classical worldview: the world is a finished product and ethical principles will remain forever valid Contemporary worldview: the world is dynamic and evolving and the path to right conduct is through induction from experiences

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Approaching Ethics
Natural Law Discoverable through discourse, research, and reflection upon humanity There are levels within natural law Deliberation concerning natural law must take into account the social dimension of humanity It allows people to enter into rational debate concerning our collective humanity.
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Approaching Ethics
Social Ethics Good people may be involved in structures that inflict injustices on others. Unethical actions can have a power that reaches beyond the individual and influence other to be unethical. People inherit the unethical actions of past generations.
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Approaching Ethics
Changing unethical institutions is difficult. Personal and social unethicality must be understood in relation to each other. Unethicality is: external, inherited, overbearing, seductive, freely chosen, incurs blame, powerful, fascinating, additive, and alluring.

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Approaching Ethics
Human Consequences Unethical decision progressively restricts a persons freedom and can become internalized. Self-centeredness results in isolation and loneliness, and anxiety. An ethical administrator should integrate attitudes, powers, and tendencies towards ethical relationships with others.
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Approaching Ethics
The Virtues Prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance are the most important virtues for an administrator. Virtues are:
Qualities that shape the very core of who people are as persons Flexible and adaptable to the milieu within which people must act
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Approaching Ethics
Shape human inclinations and dispositions to act in a certain way Integrate a persons emotional and intellectual life in such a way as to facilitate arriving at ethical judgments with ease Must be cultivated over time in order to facilitate a certain way of acting

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Approaching Ethics
Prudence: foundational virtue permeating all decision making Justice: distributive, legal, and commutative Fortitude: helping administrators overcome obstacles and look beyond fears Temperance: balance between responsibility and pleasure
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Ethical Decision Making


Two ways to describe conscience:
1. An inclination that helps a person decide how to act in relation to a particular ethical dilemma 2. A skill acquired through experience that a person can use to make an informed judgment

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Ethical Decision Making


Evidence-based approaches to ethical decision making: strict consequentialism, mixed consequentialism, and deontologism Strict consequentialism (Fletcher)
Identify the problem List alternative courses of action Predict the consequences of each alternative Assign a value to the good produced by each alternative Select the alterative with the greatest good
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Ethical Decision Making


Mixed Consequentialism (Knauer, Schuller, Fuchs, Janssen)
Identify the problem Analyze the problem Analyze the values that are influenced by a persons beliefs and convictions Identify norms that should guide the action that protects the persons values
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Ethical Decision Making


Explore the consequences of the action Compare the consequences with the values If the consequences and the values are inconsistent, explore other alternatives and test them If the consequences and the values are consistent, perform the action

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Ethical Decision Making


Deontologism (Grisez, May, Ramsey)
Identify the problem Match up alternative courses of action with corresponding norms The higher norm is the one which should be acted on
Gula, Moral Norms, pp. 60-62.

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The Ethical Use of Power in Evidence-Based Leadership


Administrators should develop strategies that will mitigate the negative dimension of power in the supervisor/employee relationship. Power emanates from four bases:
Coercion Reward Punishment knowledge
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The Ethical Use of Power in Evidence-Based Leadership


Fear is the key element of coercion. Reward power is the opposite of coercive power. Persuasive power is the ability to manipulate symbolic coercion or rewards. Knowledge power is predicated on having access to unique or valuable information.
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The Ethical Use of Power in Evidence-Based Leadership


There are four source from which power emanates:
Position or job Personal characteristics Special skills or knowledge Opportunity

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Evidential-Based Ethical Principles


1. Social and physical sciences have discovered that the universe and humanity are much older and interdependent than originally thought 2. Humans gradually evolved onto higher plans of thought, reflection, and liberty. 3. Thought, reflection, and liberty are the components of human experience, understanding, and judgment.
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Evidential-Based Ethical Principles


4. The conscious exercise of human reason is the context within educational leaders can develop ethical norms. 5. It is the responsibility of educational leaders to search for what is ethically good in providing services for students and in supporting the activities of school district employees.
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Evidential-Based Ethical Principles


6. Cultivating the virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance are valuable aids in helping educational leaders exercise their responsibilities. 7. Utilizing a systematic approach to ethical decision making can help educational leaders confront the complex issues facing contemporary education.
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Evidential-Based Ethical Principles


8. Educational leaders can sustain an ethical direction in their professional lives only through striving to find meaning in their daily activities. 9. Administrators have power over the people that they supervise and it is important for administrators to develop strategies that will support the ethical use of power and mitigate the negative.
Rebore, The Ethics of Educational Leadership, pp. 45-46.
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A Code of Ethics for Educational Leaders


Statement of Standards section of the AASA code for educational leaders includes the following guidelines:
Makes the well-being of students the fundamental values in all decision making and actions Fulfills professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity

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A Code of Ethics for Educational Leaders


Supports the principle of due process and protects the civil and human rights of all individuals Obeys local, state, and national laws and does not knowingly join or support organizations that advocate the overthrow of the government Implements the governing board to educations policies and administrative rules and regulations
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A Code of Ethics for Educational Leaders


Pursues appropriate measures to correct those laws, policies, and regulations that are not consistent with sound educational goals Avoids using positions of personal gain through political, social, religious, economic, or other influence Accepts academic degrees or professional certification only from duly accredited institutions
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A Code of Ethics for Educational Leaders


Maintains the standards and seeks to improve the effectiveness of the profession through research and continuing professional development Honors all contracts
American Association of School Adminstrators, Statement of Ethics (Arlington, VA: The Association, 1996).

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Discussion Questions and Statements


1. What is the major question concerning the human phenomenon that is endemic to evidence-based decision making? 2. Explain how the classical worldview and the contemporary worldview influence effective evidence-based decision making. 3. How are evidence-based social ethics developed?
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Discussion Questions and Statements


4. Explain what is meant by evidence-based social ethics. 5. Explain how practicing the virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance support evidence-based ethical decision making. 6. Explain how principles and superintendents can develop ethical strategies to mitigate the negative use of power in the supervisoryemployee relationship.
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