From angst to art: Ethical issues educational leaders (principals) confront and the resources they use to solve them

Principals are faced with many challenges to effectively carryout the responsibilities associated with their role as the educational leader of a school. Among these challenges is the ability to make effective decisions when faced with issues of an ethical nature.; Using the constructs of the ethic of justice, the ethic of critique, the ethic of care, and the ethic of the profession, the ethical dilemmas presented in the data are examined and dissected to provide an understanding of the types of issues educational leaders confront. This examination is layered with consideration of the influences on principals to include their background beliefs, logic, intuition and organizational understanding.; Analysis of the data provides rich information about not only the types of issues principals face, but also the challenges they encounter in making decisions. These challenges include: an overwhelming commitment to "do the right thing" even when it may be in conflict with laws or policies, a position of isolation of the principal in the organization, a lack of understanding by interest groups as to the rationale for decisions, and a lack of known resources to support the principal in making decisions.; The recommendations which emerge from this research support providing the educational leader with skills to effectively and confidently make ethically-based decisions. These recommendations include providing training and on-going professional development for principals in the areas of organizational understanding, as well as recognizing the role of ethics in making decisions. Additional recommendations focus on: the principal developing strong interpersonal skills with their students, personnel, parents and colleagues, providing tools for principals to reflect on their decision-making outcomes, and evaluating a principal's background beliefs and character prior to being selected for their leadership role.; The role of a principal is challenging. If properly prepared and working from a strong personal foundation a principal will be able to take the angst of decision-making related to ethical issues and turn the process into an art.