The case study presents the situation of Xanadu High at the time when Carol Thomas assumed the position of the school’s principal. Her appointment is met with opposition from Harold James, a veteran teacher who has been twice overlooked as a candidate for the position despite having worked at the school for over 15 years. His claim is supported by a group of like-minded teachers and individuals who feel that the school board does not value their contributions.
Throughout her employment, Carol Thomas manages to improve the school and win the loyalty and admiration of the dissenter group, including her main opposition – Harold James. Xanadu High has performed its best in the past five years with a new and innovative approach focusing on technology.
The advice that Carol and Harold could be given regarding their relationship with one another as they pursue the interests of Xanadu High is to remember that the position of principality exists to fulfill a purpose – to guide the school to new victories and successes. It is not a position of reward but rather that of merit and competence (Redfern, 2019).
Carol Thompson has shown herself to be supremely competent in this position, to a degree that she even managed to win Harold into her camp. Should he still want to pursue the position, he must ensure that his ideas, qualifications, and knowledge are superior to his boss’s (Redfern, 2019). As it stands, they are not, and he willingly acknowledged that his place is to try and help Carol achieve her vision for the good of the school and everyone in it.
At the same time, it would be wrong to deny Harold his ambitions, especially when he is several years away from retiring. He should pursue a position within the higher echelon of the school, perhaps that of a vice-principal, in order to secure his future and contribute greatly to the situation in the school. Given his tenure and experience, the majority would most likely be in favor of such an appointment, as well.
Carol’s relationship with Harold has to be more intricate since she is in a position of power that the other person consciously or subconsciously seeks out. She scored a great victory by convincing the man to join her side, thus showing an intelligent understanding of office politics.
At the same time, it is uncertain if the rebellious tendencies have been quelled. Should her future endeavors prove less successful, she might be seen as a good change manager but not as a suitable day-to-day candidate for running the school and maintaining these standards (Evans & Vaandering, 2022). The sentiment Harold voiced earlier, stating that she is a “walk-about principal,” may have some truth to it, since in a functional system, the principal’s main occupation is administration.
As such, Carol would have to continuously prove her competence to Harold and others, establishing a relationship of mutual checks and balances. This unspoken competition, so long it does not go into sabotage, may actually benefit the school, as all sides would be driven by a desire to excel (Mehta & Fine, 2019).
However, as a token of peace and acknowledgment of past generations’ contributions, she should give Harold the position of vice-principal, as mentioned. It would demonstrate to other “old guard” teachers that they are still valued and that experience and loyalty are rewarded in the new system. Thus, the relationship between the two members of the faculty and the parties they represent has to be rooted both in trust, competence, and concessions made to one another.
References
Evans, K., & Vaandering, D. (2022). The little book of restorative justice in education: Fostering responsibility, healing, and hope in schools.Simon and Schuster.
Mehta, J., & Fine, S. (2019). In search of deeper learning: The quest to remake the American high school. Harvard University Press.
Redfern, G. B. (2019). Evaluating teachers and administrators: A performance objectives approach. Routledge.