Innocent Icon or Savage Symbol?
November 01, 2026
Ethical Educator
Scenario:
A high school principal receives a complaint from a teacher that a student with a troubled history in school wears a necklace with a swastika on it. In a meeting with the principal, the student claims it is a Buddhist symbol known as manji, which appears almost identical to a swastika. When the parent is called about the necklace, the father threatens to sue the district for a civil rights violation if the student is told to remove the necklace or disciplined for wearing it. The principal asks the superintendent for advice on what action to take.
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The Ethical Educator Panel:
- Susan Enfield, executive director, University of Washington’s Center for Educational Leadership, Seattle, Wash.
- Arthur Schwartz, president, character.org.
- 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: [email protected]
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