The Odden High School Fiasco

Abstract

The clash of values between the principal and the community has political ramifications for how policies are developed and implemented. This case study describes a situation in which an African American principal in a White-dominant but increasingly diverse rural school district tests the limits of a community by enforcing a tardy policy for the students. The tensions between the community and its wishes, on one hand, and the principal's enforcement of a new policy, on the other, converge to create a dilemma with enormous implications. In particular, the principal's implementation and regulation of policies are likely to have serious ramifications for how the principal will be embraced by the community. To address this issue and its broader implications, this case narrative contains topics selected to promote dialogue about the development of policies in White-dominant but increasingly diverse rural communities where the principals' race and values vary greatly from those of the parents and students.