This case examines a complex ethical dilemma in a school district where overlapping familial and sociopolitical relationships complicate the response to a vandalism incident. The allegations involve students whose parents hold influential roles, including a principal, coach, and school board members, one of whom is connected to major financial donations. The superintendent and principal must navigate these conflicts of interest (COI) as they sort through the incident. The case challenges educational leaders to consider how to manage real or perceived COI. Teaching notes provide questions and activities to prepare for and respond to such dilemmas across various school leadership roles.
Associated School Boards of South Dakota. (2025). School board handbook: An introduction to school board services.
3.
BlanchardK. (2019). Servant leadership in action: How you can achieve great relationships and results. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
4.
BolmanL.DealT. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. Jossey-Bass.
5.
DariolyA.RiggioR. (2014). Nepotism in the hiring of leaders: Is there a stigmatization of relatives?Swiss Journal of Psychology, 73, 243–248. https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185/a000143
FordM. R. (2023). Special interest group influence in school districts: Exploring the impact of locale, leadership and policy in schools. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 23(3), 645–661. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2023.2197038
8.
FordM. R.IhrkeD. M. (2015). Comparing governance in traditional public school boards and non-profit charter school boards in three states. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 25, 972–992. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2015.1028975
9.
FordT. G.IhrkeD. M. (2020). Comparing school board governing dynamics in small rural and suburban districts. Public Administration Quarterly, 44(1), 131–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/073491492004400105
10.
FordT. G.IhrkeD. M. (2021). Determinants of priority conflict on city school boards. Urban Education, 56(10), 1815–1835. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918770713
11.
GrissomJ. A. (2009). The determinants of conflict on governing boards in public organizations: The case of California school boards. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 22, 601–627. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/mup043
12.
GrissomJ. A. (2014). Is discord detrimental? Using institutional variation to identify the impact of public governing board conflict on outcomes. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 24, 289–315. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24484844
13.
HeifetzR. A.LinskyM. (2002). Leadership on the line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading. Harvard Business Review Press.
14.
HeislerW.HanlinL. (2017). Nepotism and the Jackson County School Board. Journal of Case Studies in Educational Leadership, 20(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555458916687794
15.
HessF. M. (2008). Looking for leadership: Assessing the case for mayoral control of urban school systems. American Enterprise Institute.
16.
JonesR. G.StoutJ. (2015). Policing nepotism and cronyism without losing the value of social connection. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 8(1), 2–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2014.3
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2005). Managing conflict of interest in the public sector: A toolkit. OECD Publishing.
20.
PearceJ. L. (2015). Cronyism and nepotism are bad for everyone: The research evidence. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 8(1), 41–44. https://doi.org/10.1017/iop.2014.10
ScheinE. H. (1985). Organizational culture and leadership (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.
23.
ScheinE. H.ScheinP. A. (2016). Organizational culture and leadership (5th ed.). Wiley.
24.
SengeP. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization (Rev. ed.). Currency/Doubleday.
25.
WintonS.GonzalezD. (2014). The politics of interest groups in education. In LindleJ. C. (Ed.), Political contexts of educational leadership (pp. 123–145). Routledge.
