Ethical Decision-making in Educational Leadership employs a pragmatic theoretical model of social and environmental relations to teach leaders to approach ethical decision-making through case-based contemporary examples. Taking a holistic and multi-dimensional perspective, this book demonstrates how aspiring educational leaders can navigate volatile, complex, uncertain and ambiguous (VUCA) futures.


Part I introduces a social-ecological model of leadership, accounting for the complex relations between people and their environments in education settings. It defines ethical leadership for educational leaders in VUCA and global risk environments, addressing the impact on education of today's challenges including climate change, pandemics, geopolitical instability and political polarization. In this context it theorizes ethical dilemmas and ethical decision-making in leadership, setting out various leadership styles, skills and strategies for adaptive educational leadership.


Part II includes seven case-based role-play scripts which illustrate ethical dilemmas for leaders at all levels of education, from kindergarten to higher education, conceived to apply across international education systems. The cases address contemporary issues for leaders in education including power imbalances among staff; relations between teachers and parents; conflicting ideals and pedagogical approaches; DEI and prohibitions on literature; the use of AI; free speech on campus. Each of the scripts is followed by reflective questions along with further reading to encourage discussion.


Informed by research and theory, the textbook is designed for current leaders and those in teacher training and leadership courses.