Pick of the Crop
August 01, 2026
Ethical Educator
Scenario: A tendency exists at a diverse elementary school for some parents, most of them affluent and highly educated, to request their children be placed with the “best” teacher each year. Some parents threaten to leave the public school if their children are not given their preferred teacher. No district policy exists, so the school’s principal often acquiesces to retain these families, who contribute significant time and money to the PTA. He realizes this practice skews class assignments but believes it causes no harm. Should the new superintendent allow the practice to continue?
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The Ethical Educator panel consists of
- Susan Enfield, executive director, University of Washington’s Center for Educational Leadership, Seattle, Wash.
- Arthur Schwartz, president, .
- Maria G. Ott, Irving R. and Virginia A. Melbo chair in education administration, University of Southern California.
- Scott A. Menzel, superintendent, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Each month, School Administrator draws on actual circumstances to raise an ethical decision-making dilemma in K-12 education. Our distinguished panelists provide their own resolutions to each dilemma.
Do you have a suggestion for a dilemma to be considered?
Send it to: magazine@aasa.org
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