Individuals working in educational leadership positions may find themselves in situations where they must examine the legal and ethical guidelines for determining whether an employee should be retained, disciplined, or terminated. In situations where there are reasonable arguments for these scenarios, it can be difficult to discern a correct decision. In these situations, following the letter of the law and demonstrating ethical decision-making coupled with practical wisdom is an important skill for success in professional practice.
Read the “Ms. Turner Case Study” and assume the incident took place in the state where you currently work or are most interested in working. Use the topic Resources and your own research to determine whether your state is a “right to work” state and what the laws are regarding teacher tenure. You should also research the answers to each of the questions below:
- Based on state laws, could Ms. Turner be terminated, disciplined, or have no formal action taken against her based on the verbal outburst and subsequent email?
- Were the hiring practices for the supervisor position legal and ethical, and what liability does the school district have for the hiring practices that were utilized?
- Is there any legal precedent that would support a potential lawsuit by Ms. Turner?
Based on your research findings, take a stance on the following prompt:
- “Ms. Turner should not be disciplined or fired and has a right to be promoted.”
In a 500-750 word persuasive speech, argue why you agree or disagree with the statement “Ms. Turner should not be disciplined or fired and has a right to be promoted.” Support your stance by citing specifics from the case study, federal and state laws, and relevant legal cases as supporting evidence related to the following:
- Identify the state where you work or are most interested in working and describe what the law says about whether Ms. Turner could be terminated, disciplined, or have no formal action taken against her based upon the verbal outburst and subsequent email. Cite specific state and/or federal laws that apply.
- Summarize any legal or ethical missteps in the hiring practices that were utilized and describe the school district’s legal liability for the hiring practices that were implemented.
- Describe whether there are any legal precedents Ms. Turner could consider as she determines whether she can and should sue the school district. Include a discussion of specific legal cases that may apply.
Support the assignment with 3-5 scholarly resources.
