SLLA Ethical Leadership and Integrity Questions and Answers

Question 1

A principal is chairing a hiring committee for a new department head.
The leading candidate is the principal's sister-in-law, who is highly qualified for the position.
Which of the following is the most ethical action for the principal to take?

Accepted Answer

Disclose the relationship to the committee and the human resources department and recuse themself from the final hiring decision.

Answer

Advocate for the sister-in-law's hiring, as she is the most qualified candidate.

Answer

Say nothing of the relationship to avoid influencing the committee's decision.

Answer

Ask the sister-in-law to withdraw her application to prevent any appearance of a conflict of interest.

Question 2

A school counselor informs the principal that a student has disclosed sensitive family issues protected under confidentiality agreements. Later, the principal overhears two teachers discussing rumors about the same student's family. What is the principal's most ethical responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Address the teachers privately, remind them of their professional obligation to maintain student confidentiality, and reiterate this expectation to the entire staff.

Answer

Join the conversation to correct the rumors with the confidential information.

Answer

Immediately report the teachers to the district for unprofessional conduct.

Answer

Ignore the conversation to avoid creating conflict with the staff.

Question 3

Which of the following actions best demonstrates a school leader's commitment to ethical and equitable student discipline?

Accepted Answer

Regularly analyzing discipline data disaggregated by student subgroups and implementing restorative practices to address disparities and root causes.

Answer

Applying a zero-tolerance policy for all major infractions to ensure consistency.

Answer

Allowing each teacher to manage their own classroom discipline without administrative oversight.

Answer

Delegating all disciplinary decisions to an assistant principal to remain impartial.

Question 4

During a district data review, a supervisor implies that the principal should reclassify certain student absences to improve the school's chronic absenteeism rate for an upcoming report. What is the principal's most ethical response?

Accepted Answer

Agree to review the data for legitimate errors but state that all classifications must strictly adhere to state and district attendance policies.

Answer

Follow the supervisor's suggestion to demonstrate that they are a team player and to improve the school's public data.

Answer

Delegate the task to an assistant principal with vague instructions to avoid direct responsibility.

Answer

Refuse to discuss the matter further and report the supervisor to the state board of education.

Question 5

A principal discovers that a volunteer treasurer for the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) used $100 from fundraising to purchase coffee and donuts for a teacher meeting, an expense that is against district policy for activity funds. What is the principal's most appropriate initial action?

Accepted Answer

Meet privately with the PTO president and treasurer to discuss the policy, explain the discrepancy, and determine a plan to rectify the account.

Answer

Ignore the small discrepancy to maintain a positive relationship with the PTO.

Answer

Announce at the next public PTO meeting that funds were misused to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Answer

Immediately report the misuse of funds to the district's financial office.

Question 6

What is the primary purpose of a professional code of ethics for school administrators?

Accepted Answer

To serve as a guide for professional conduct and decision-making that prioritizes the well-being of students and the school community.

Answer

To provide a list of specific punishments for every possible infraction.

Answer

To guarantee legal immunity for administrators who follow its principles.

Answer

To replace district-level policies with a single national standard.

A principal is chairing a hiring committee for a new department head.The leading candidate is the principal's sister-in-law, who is highly qualified for the position.Which of the following is the most ethical action for the principal to take?

A principal is chairing a hiring committee for a new department head.
The leading candidate is the principal's sister-in-law, who is highly qualified for the position.
Which of the following is the most ethical action for the principal to take?