Abstract

A succinct overview of this handbook would propose that it has described the why, how, and what of ethical educational leadership. Part I, “Issues and Perspectives,” provides a diverse array of reasons as to why educational leadership must, at its very core, be ethical. Here, various international authors provide compelling reasons for accepting that educational leadership must embrace and address professionalism, multiculturalism, sociopolitical awareness, sustainability, social justice, empathy, contextual awareness, and caring. Moreover, these chapters illustrate how the sincere attention to these essential outcomes is inextricably linked to the actions of an ethical leader. Then, Part II, “Developing Ethical Educational Leadership,” provides a very coherent and comprehensive explanation and description of a holistic program for the development of ethical leadership. In other words, this section describes how ethical educational leadership can be deconstructed and thereby developed by a willing and committed leader. While Nancy Tuana’s chapter (see also Tuana, 2007) describes this holistic program in great detail, the subsequent chapters sequentially describe and extend each of the components of this program. Part III provides “Examples From the Field” so that the reader can more easily appreciate what an application of ethical educational leadership might look like in reality. By means of descriptions from both qualitative and quantitative research, as well as personal and situational narratives, this section provides a very rich description of the beneficial potentialities and possibilities to be gained through a dedicated commitment to ethical educational leadership.