Political Pressures

We asked administrators about the politics involved in making decisions...

Featured Dilemma:

Administrators may face conflicting interests: Best interests of the student, Budget constraints, Political interests .....

All but two administrators interviewed denied feeling political pressure. One, however, a  principal from the midwest, stated that he"had gone against his gut when he knew he had to." He found it a time when he ended up "having a terrible taste in his mouth" and wishing he "could just spit it out." Noting that schools are inherently political in nature, with taxpayers as constituents, another administrator discussed the rights of taxpayers to demand change and accountability. "There are times," one stated,  "when pride must be swallowed and one must do what one is told to do." Fortunately, these administrators tell us that these events are few and far between. Most feel that their boards and central administrators allow them enough freedom to make necessary decisions on their own.

Have you ever gone against your “gut” feeling in a decision because you felt politically pressured to do so? What do you do to ensure that decisions are made with the students’ best interest at heart, despite political pressures?

Joan admits that political pressure exists, but she feels all decisions have been in the best interest of the kids. She adds that if the time should come and she couldn't agree, or if she felt decisions didn't protect the teachers and students, then she would back out of her job.

POLITICAL ISSUES CONTINUED Would you feel comfortable asking a social worker from your school to lobby in a political area?