Essay Comparing Moral Leadership To Turbulence Theory

When reviewing multiple ethical paradigms, Shapiro and Gross (2013) stated one must understand the definition of ethics. From the Greeks, the word ethos meant “customs” or “usages”, but later the word ethics was defined as meaning “disposition or character, customs, and approved ways of acting” (Shapiro and Gross, 2013). When theorist and educators began to develop models to explain ethics in an educational realm, Sergiovanni sought after moral leadership as a principle of justice in regards to his “virtuous schools” (Shapiro and Gross, 2013). Sergiovanni believed leaders in education to be stewards within the educational system to be just and beneficent, by having a deep concern for the welfare of the school as a community (Shapiro and Gross, 2013). This theory was to extend beyond the school and into the community, by taking in the students, teachers, administrators, and families well-being into account through equality, dignity, and fair play for all (Shapiro and Gross, 2013).
With Gross Turbulence Theory, there are four levels: light, moderate, severe, and extreme. When reviewing the different levels of turbulence, it depends on the school system situation where they rank on the gauge. Gross provided various examples ranging from light to extreme, but later developed the concept of positionality as a contextual force to differentiate between individuals and groups within an organization (Shapiro and Gross, 2103). Depending on the situation, such as the No Child Left Behind, educators and families felt the legislation was a failure for the students. Competition and accountability requirements for teachers created various levels of turbulence in the end that wasn’t beneficial for the student’s academic