7 Responses

1. Ethical dilemmas are something we deal with daily within our specialist context.
   Step 1: Identification of the Ethical Dilemma
   In my role as Deputy Principal, I encountered an ethical dilemma involving a very high-needs student experiencing multiple seizures daily. Each seizure posed a serious risk of further brain injury. The student was well-presented and loved by his family, but his father, who has a learning difficulty and short-term memory issues, refused preventative medication due to mistrust of the medical system.
   The ethical question:
   How do we protect the student’s right to health and safety while respecting the whānau’s autonomy, learning needs, and cultural context, without defaulting to statutory reporting that might not result in meaningful action?
   Step 2: Application of Ethical Principles and Readings
   Drawing on the ‘Code of Professional Responsibility, particularly the commitments to ‘promote the well-being of learners’ and ‘engage in ethical and respectful relationships with whānau’, we weighed the principles of:
   Non-maleficence and Beneficence:
   Our obligation to prevent harm and promote the learner’s well-being was central, as each seizure caused neurological damage.
   Whanaungatanga and Ako (relational and reciprocal learning):
   Referencing Macfarlane’s ‘Hikairo Schema’ and the culturally responsive principles in Bishop’s ‘Te Kotahitanga’, we prioritised building a relationship with the father and engaging in a tuakana-teina dynamic—walking alongside him rather than directing from above.
   Equity and Inclusion:
   The father’s cognitive challenges and mistrust of medical systems were not treated as barriers but as realities to work with. This aligns with the Inclusive Education framework from the Ministry of Education, which advocates for understanding and reducing systemic barriers for whānau and learners.
   Professional Judgment:
   Drawing from Hall, Gollnick & Tatro’s (2020) discussions on ethical leadership, we recognised that a rules-based approach (e.g., immediately reporting to Oranga Tamariki) might not be the most ethical response. Ethical leadership involves considering what is right, not just what is required.
   Step 3: Consultation and Approach
   Consultation Process:
   – We consulted with the student’s pediatrician, St John’s, Therapy team, teacher, and support staff.
   – The decision not to report to Oranga Tamariki initially was informed by the low threshold for intervention in such cases and the potential for it to damage trust.
   Transparency and Fairness:
   – Open, respectful communication with the father
   – A documented, collaborative care plan
   – Incremental education on medication use, tailored to his learning needs
   – Clear accountability shared between the school and medical staff (this included St John’s)
   Step 4: Outcome and Reflection
   Over time, the father allowed medication to be administered at school and eventually began giving it at home. This was a major shift and likely would not have occurred through coercion or escalation. The ethical decision to build trust, rather than default to compliance through reporting, demonstrated the power of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and inclusive practice in ethical leadership.
   As leaders, our role is not simply to enforce rules but to lead ethically within context, considering the long-term well-being of both the learner and their whānau.

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2. Module 2:
   Ethical Leadership
   As Assistant Principal of Pastoral Care and School Culture at Taumarunui High School, ethical leadership is central to my role. After revisiting Tū Rangatira and the other readings, I reflected on the importance of leading with integrity, valuing collective input, and aligning actions with school values like manaakitanga and whanaungatanga. The ethical decision-making framework gave me a clear structure for making fair, transparent decisions.
   Ethical Dilemma
   Dilemma:
   A student repeatedly breached uniform expectations while facing financial hardship, creating a tension between maintaining standards and supporting wellbeing.
   Process:
   I gathered information, consulted with whānau, staff, and the PB4L team, and considered all perspectives. Using ethical principles of care, fairness, and dignity, we supported the student with uniform items through the hardship fund, while reinforcing expectations.
   Reflection:
   This process showed the importance of consultation, consistency, and compassion. It strengthened school culture while ensuring the student felt supported, not punished.

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3. Ngaa mihi for your comments above and taukoto them all ! I really enjoyed reflecting on the ethical leadership module online so far. Diving into these resources Tu Rangatera and kupu and key roles involved I feel within my various role the kaitiaki – guardian is a privilege one. When you know your people and they have trust in myself to do the best for them, they then are vulnerable/ willing to learn new things and happy to share in a space. My health and PE expenses/lens this best supports the nurturing and caring element with our Kura values of tika, manaaki and whanaungatanga reflective in leadership. While these other three kupu; he kanohi matara: (visionary) and he kaikōtuitui – (networker) and kaiarataki (advocate) are key roles in supporting my people and knowing who to connect with to support their mahi, advocating as I understand as have done these roles (Kaiako Matua/HOD) previously so understand the expectations and tasks. While I love seeing the gap and creating and being innovative for the best outcomes for our ākonga and sharing best practice in pedagogy. Within my kaahui ako role I see these are all interconnected to best support the 22 schools and kaimahi. When we are role modelling these qualities the flow on effects are effective practices, change of cultures/norms and positive outcomes.

   I am an early adopter and am happy to try news things but appreciate not all kaimahi are the same so really enjoyed reading the golden circle to reinforce to those that are on the fence to try something new or implement change the WHY is so important.
   Creating effective organisational cultures and performance – and the 5 successful factors reminder me to rethink edit the interview questions we do as a panel with onboarding new kaimahi into our kura that are reflective of three values but also ethical leadership.

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4. I feel the concept of Ethical leadership isn’t a new concept to me. Māori values such as manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and aroha drive all aspects of my leadership. In my kura, I am battling with the equity vs equality debate. Should all students be treated the same (equality), or should additional resources and attention be given to students from disadvantaged backgrounds (equity)? We’ve got some very affluent families that belong to our hāpori (community) and I’m aware that the gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ is growing ever wider (think access to tutoring and additional learning programmes). I am somewhat of a social justice warrior and a big believer in equity but have found that many staff (and parents) don’t understand how the education system in NZ continues to colonise Māori and other marginalised groups. When staff don’t have that awareness, it is an immense challenge to shift the ways we deliver the curriculum and support ākonga Māori to succeed as Māori.

   I found the literature interesting, particular Tū Rangatira which I haven’t come across before. In Tū Rangatira, the leadership role of He Kaitiaki is the one that speaks to me the most. Particularly where it states “Kaitiaki leadership focuses on the protection and preservation of positive human relationships, te reo Māori me ōna tikanga and mātauranga Māori as the foundation for teaching and learning pedagogy.”, There is a strong alignment with this leadership and my ethical dilemma. I was also glad to see that ‘justice’ was one of the main principles in the article – ‘What is Ethical Leadership and Why is it Important?’ as this supports the idea of equity and what achieving equity might look like in a school. Most leaders I have worked with in the educational system understand that change management is effective when there is transparency about the why (hopefully backed by data). As mentioned in the Harvard Article, ‘to build and maintain trust, leaders must be good communicators who speak openly and honestly about issues’ which supports the idea of Simon Sinek’s the Golden Circle. I also think a discussion with the Senior Leadership team and even the BoT around defining our organisational values would be interesting to establish expected behaviours for all staff. I enjoyed Ann Rhoades Ted Talk, particularly when she said that leaders drive the values of the organisation, values drive behaviour and behaviour collectively is the organisations culture and culture drive performance.

   The reality is that ākonga Māori aren’t achieving on par with their peers at my kura (when Western measures of success are used). When working through the ‘Ethical Decision making model’, there are many ethical components to this argument such as Māori students may face systemic barriers, including historical inequities and cultural disconnection from the curriculum and Māori families might have different expectations and understandings of educational success.​ With respect, I understand that staff have their own experiences and perspectives and that supporting/treating ākonga Māori differently may challenge those perspectives and make people feel uncomfortable. I am trying to be as transparent as possible when unpacking the ‘why’, including literature that is evidence based as well as voice from rangatahi Māori that emphasise the commitment to equity, cultural responsiveness and inclusion .In the face of resistance, really understanding the ‘why’ as a leader is so important and having resources such as the Teaching Council’s Our Code, Our Standards, the Education Act 2020 and of course Te Tiriti o Waitangi is helpful. The most important thing is to lead with empathy, keeping our school values at the forefront of any change.

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5. Step 1: The Ethical Dilemma: As an Associate Principal, a potential ethical dilemma could involve the appointment of a staff member’s close family member to a leadership position—e.g., team leader or Across School Lead. While the individual may be qualified, this can raise concerns around favoritism, fairness, and conflicts of interest, particularly if other candidates feel overlooked. Such appointments may affect school culture, staff morale, and perceptions of leadership integrity. This type of dilemma I am sure is not uncommon in New Zealand schools-
   The Tū Rangatira leadership framework reminds us that as leaders, our actions must reflect manaakitanga (ethics and care), pono (integrity), and whanaungatanga (relationships). An appointment that challenges perceptions of fairness can easily threaten these values if not managed with transparency and courage

   Step 2: Perspectives to Consider:
   In line with Tū Rangatira, effective leadership involves listening deeply, acknowledging diverse perspectives, and valuing collective responsibility. Here are the perspectives that would guide my response:The Family Member (Appointee):
   They may feel confident in their ability but concerned that others will question their legitimacy. They could be unfairly burdened with needing to “prove themselves” beyond what’s expected of others.The Related Staff Member:
   While they may feel proud of the appointment, they might also fear backlash or reputational damage. Ethical leadership, as highlighted in the Harvard article, requires acknowledging how our relationships can shape power dynamics and perceptions—even unintentionally.Other Staff Members:
   Fairness is a foundational value in any school culture. Staff may feel discouraged or lose trust in leadership if they perceive the process was biased. According to the Victorian Department of Education’s Framework for Ethical Decision-Making, one of the key questions is: “How will my decision affect trust and confidence in our school?”The School as a Community:
   Upholding the integrity of our processes is not just about managing one appointment—it sets a precedent. The Golden Circle by Simon Sinek reminds us to lead with the “why.” Our “why” is to create a learning community grounded in fairness, transparency, and collective wellbeing.

   Step 3: Response and Consultation
   Ethical leadership, as defined in the Harvard article, requires courage, humility, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right, even if it is uncomfortable. My response would involve: Consulting with the Principal, leadership team, and possibly the Board of Trustees to ensure the appointment process is robust, clearly merit-based, and free from bias. Declaring and managing any real or perceived conflicts of interest early in the process. Involving an impartial or external panel in the selection process to remove any perception of favouritism. Reviewing the appointment process against our school’s policies and values, as well as the NZEI Collective Agreement to ensure procedural fairness. Communicating openly with staff, sharing information about how decisions were made and why—connecting back to our school’s core values and leadership kaupapa. In the Tū Rangatira model, this step reflects Pono—doing what is right—and Manaakitanga—caring for all involved through transparency, empathy, and respect

   Step 4: Clarifying and Managing the Issue: to maintain a positive school culture and lead with integrity, I would: Ensure the appointment is clearly evidence-based, grounded in qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role’s expectations. Establish a clear induction process with mentoring and ongoing PLD to support the new leader. Monitor team dynamics closely, using tools such as staff voice and relational trust check-ins. Encourage reflective dialogue within the team about leadership pathways and ensure equitable access to leadership development for all staff. Refer back to our values regularly, shaping an ethical and high-performing culture (as outlined in the Values and Performance YouTube video by Richard Barrett).

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6. There was no way I was getting this down in 150 words…….but read as far as you like!

   I think to date the most identifiable ethical dilemma would be around the time of Covid lockdowns/bubbles/vaccinations. This was a situation where we had to make decisions based on options, and we couldn’t possibly know whether we were fully right or wrong, knowing that there were going to be both positive and negative consequences whichever way we went. Government requirements were grey and fuzzy at the edges and I was leading in a school community at the time, who had very strong views on the pandemic. Anti-vaxxers and home-schooling backgrounds surrounded us and we knew there was a risk of losing several families through our actions/decisions. However ethical leadership is “decision-making based on the right thing to do for the common good” (What is Ethical Leadership and Why is it important) – so that is what we followed.
   We invested considerable time in areas mentioned in the “What is Ethical Leadership….” reading. Respect was key to us being the community hub (the safe space), respect for those that chose to believe and follow rules but also an amount of respect for those who didn’t. Our teachers and staff’s service for the community was outstanding, some with their own families to consider. We had staff offer to be “bubble” teachers, we were a united staff and there was no judgement around what each of us was going through or trying to manage and great accountability for our actions.
   Simon Sinek’s simple explanation about having a clear ‘why’ at the beginning was exactly how we started out. By being transparent and clear about what needed to happen and attempting collaboration with our community. The why was about responsibility, rights of others, communication and having a clear understanding of our purpose, our cause and our belief. The rest was the ‘how’……..
   Essentially, we followed the Ethical Decision Making Framework by recognising as a staff the challenge ahead and an awareness of what might/might not happen. The facts were unfortunately everchanging so the ability to pivot was crucial especially when the Ministry would flip a decision overnight so regular review of how we were managing ‘school bubbles’, parent contact etc was crucial.
   Reading Tū Rangatira – fabulous document! – I align our decision-making based on Kaitiaki – care/protection of health, safety, and well-being of learners and staff. It was important to look after all involved in the decision-making. We needed to advocate for staff, students and the principal too (He kaiarataki). We needed to be managers to manage the new systems in place alongside supporting academic achievement (kaiwhakarite), with strong work ethics to pull through a tough chapter (Kaimahi). Most importantly we needed to be networkers (Kaikōtuitui) and weave our community together to achieve a consensus, a mutual agreement on our approach to Covid.

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   1. Responding from an ethical leadership perspective, your approach clearly aligns with key principles of integrity, service, and responsibility to the collective good, particularly in the face of a morally complex, high-stakes situation like the COVID-19 pandemic.
      Your leadership through this dilemma exemplifies ethical leadership in action—balancing moral complexity, honouring relationships, and remaining anchored in service. I know the community you were working with. It’s clear you led not just with rules, but with heart and integrity.

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