How do principals manage educator misconduct in public schools?

Abstract

This research project is an attempt to determine how principals handle educator misconduct in public schools in a sample of both primary and secondary schools. Procedures on handling misconduct are still new to schools principals. The need to empower principals with knowledge and procedures to handle educator misconduct is the main concern of the study. The main aim of the study is to investigate how principals handle educator misconduct in public schools. It is revealed in the introductory orientation of this study that educator misconduct is one of major challenges in principals' management of schools. Educator misconduct is a continuous problem that principals experience in their management of schools. Principals being given legal authority to handle less serious misconduct at school level, have a mammoth task and responsibility to ensure that procedural requirements are met in such misconduct cases. The attempts to workshop train and educate principals on handling educator misconduct which all proved insufficient. Misconduct among educators is on the increase and principals seem to fall short of handling such misconduct cases properly. In this regard both the literature study and an empirical investigation through interviews are used in the study. Principals are involved because they have a duty to handle educator misconduct. Procedures handling misconduct also involve educators. These data collection methods are useful in providing insights into principals' handling of educator misconduct as well as getting educators' views on how principals handle misconduct cases. The findings and recommendations of this study are expected to improve principals' handling of educator misconduct. The findings are supposed to help principals to realise the need to follow procedural steps and to apply principles of handling misconduct fairly and consistently. Based on what the study will find, it is recommended that principals adhere to principles, rules and procedures of handling misconduct as they serve to empower principals in their management responsibilities. Principals support mechanisms in the form of workshops, seminars and training programme should be provided to ensure that principals are well trained and have clear knowledge in both theory and practice of handling educator misconduct.