School Choice for Leaders
February 01, 2026
Ethical Educator
Scenario:
In a first-ring suburban school district of mostly working-class families, the first-year superintendent opts to send her two children, ages 6 and 11, to a pair of independent schools in the adjacent county. Following the superintendent's hiring, the school district’s PTA chair questions her about her personal commitment to public education as reflected in her enrollment decisions. Is the superintendent acting hypocritically by sending her children out of district?
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The Ethical Educator panel consists of
- Sheldon H. Berman, author of Implementing Social-Emotional Learning: Insights from School Districts’ Successes and Setbacks.
- Susan Enfield, executive director, University of Washington’s Center for Educational Leadership, Seattle, Wash.
- Arthur Schwartz, president, character.org; and
- Maria G. Ott, Irving R. and Virginia A. Melbo chair in education administration, University of Southern California.
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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