This article describes the ethical problems characterizing the moral wrestlings of senior educational executives. The leaders’ perceived ethical problems are categorized, described and elaborated as ethical misdeeds and quandaries. Ethical misdeeds are described as transgressions against the core ethical values (caring/respect, fairness, professional conduct, resource stewardship, integrity, loyalty, honesty and citizenship) held by these educational administrators. Ethical quandaries are delineated as “grey area” type problems confronting educational administrators in both particular situations (divided interest, value conflicts, means and ends conflicts and “willing but constrained conflicts”) and more systemic problems (scarcity of resources, inequities, employment concerns, student welfare and general leadership challenges).
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