Through widespread "opt-out" efforts over the past several years, parent and student activists have pressured schools, districts, states, and the federal government to reconsider the extent and limits of state-mandated assessments. This case study focuses on the ethical questions faced by a principal in a school divided over state…

Amy Yarborough, a veteran teacher and curriculum resource leader in a rural district in Virginia, facilitates a professional learning community focused on social justice and equity-oriented instructional practices. When allegations of teaching critical race theory are reported via the state's email tip line and community social media groups, Amy…

What should an educational leader passionate about all students do when they are told educational equity is not allowed in their district? What does a director of Indigenous education do when funding earmarked for Indigenous students is redirected to other school priorities? What should be done when the very teachers who need training in cultural…

A school principal has been placed on administrative leave for allegedly having sexual relations on school property after hours with a member of the county sheriff's department. The principal denies the allegations but, in an effort to get his job back, the deputy confesses to the affair. The school district says that the case is under…

Ms. Barnard is faced with a complex dilemma. The district administrator in charge of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) initiatives and support was presented with a case of a transgender student who wished to attend an overnight field trip and share a room with other students based on her gender identity. Although the district had made…

Based on events in Florida, this case explores issues that accompany the choice to arm school personnel as a means to address school violence and shootings. Readers consider the issue from the perspective of the school board of a large, diverse district and are presented with dilemmas while they consider the effectiveness, the political…

This case illustrates the importance for school leaders and teachers to be knowledgeable about current legal precedent when creating district and school policies. We describe a legal battle that occurred in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in which a school district instituted a policy affecting English learners that was in violation of two federal laws.…

The recent federal guidance and litigation on transgender students have increased public awareness of the legal rights of transgender students. Title IX regulations have long permitted school districts to segregate male and female students in separate but comparable toilet, shower, and locker room facilities, but the legal issue presented by…

This case exemplifies the unintended divisive cause and effect dynamic that can occur as a direct result of a seemingly innocuous school board policy modification. A change in school board policy at a local school district in Laredo, Texas, was designed to facilitate the fulfillment of a foreign language requirement for high school students. A…

Joe McGinnis, principal of Jackson High School, is caught in the conflict between community values, parents' rights, teacher speech, public health policy, and his own positioning within the community and faculty. He must decide whether and how to discipline a teacher and former mentor who, in the absence of a clear school district policy, supplied…

Drawing on a recent New Jersey Supreme Court decision (2007), this case addresses a school district's responsibility regarding homophobic bullying, school culture, and the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students to be free of discrimination.

This case scenario addresses allowing electronic devices in schools as well as how districts can establish acceptable use policies. The dynamics of the case illustrate how various stakeholders conceptualize and view building management and facilitate a desired school climate and culture. The case is designed to prompt students' thinking about (a)…

This case, which was inspired by actual events, describes the efforts of a district to create a culture of accountability for professional employee practice and behavior. In the midst of new district leaders and a shift in district priorities, numerous situations test the fortitude, organizational knowledge, ethical commitments, and political…

For decades, the instructional field trip has been viewed as a strategy to enhance students' learning experiences. Yet what happens when an award-winning teacher is accused of choking a student while on a field trip? Tempers flare among community members, parents contact the police, and the principal is assigned the daunting task of investigating…