An educational leader can encourage other leaders within the educational system to model ethical behavior by stating what ethical behavior needs to be modeled and then model the behavior for the leaders so that they may describe the ethical behavior to their subordinates and model it for them. It is a trickle down system that will allow the top educational leader to put forth the ethical decision in a format which all can be understand and modeled. If several ethical decisions are put into place, the organization will resemble one that has a normative culture that will allow an ethical culture to be present. If the principal of the school puts emphasis on ethical decisions and practices, the emphasis should be relayed and promoted within the staff of that educational institution.
For example if the principal wants to make the test taking and the reporting of scores more ethical, he or she would not want to put it in his own goals for certain criteria for state or nationwide assessments. Without the pressure to meet certain goals for these assessments the teachers will automatically not look toward ethical means to make themselves or their class look good. Though this sounds dubious, there are many teachers who will adjust their teaching and their scores to meet the goal criteria that has been set by the state. By teaching the mid-level leaders a technique of not setting a bar or standard for those test scores, the principal can be assured that the ethical decisions of their teachers are not streamlined toward reaching a retrieved or pull through unethical means.
Don Rainwater has written many articles on business and educational ethics. To view more of his thoughts, books, products, or websites please visit http://www.dkrainwater.com