Ethical approaches based on the decisions of school principals

The purpose of this research is to examine in the context of ethical approaches that form the basis of the decisions of school principals working at different levels in Siirt center and districts in the 2022-2023 academic year. Thus, it is aimed to determine which ethical approaches school principals emphasize when making decisions in the face of various events. The case study design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The study group of the research consists of 12 school principals working in the center and districts of Siirt. Maximum variation sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods, was used in the selection of the participants in the study group. Interviews were made with the school principals working in Siirt and the data were recorded with voice recording. In the study, three open-ended questions were included by using a semi-structured form and questions at the end of each prepared question. Then, 5 scenarios were prepared and the question "Which would you prefer in this situation?" was asked to the school principals. The audio recordings of the interviews with the participants were deciphered and themed according to the descriptive analysis approach. In the findings;. The main elements that stand out in the teleological approach; student needs and high benefit to the student, the general culture and climate of the school, positive discrimination, the needs of the region, and the motivation of teachers and parents. The main elements highlighted in the deontological approach are; compliance with laws and regulations, suitability for duty, resorting to investigation, investigating and analyzing the problem, applying to rules and laws, discipline, legislation, non-intervention, acceptance, and connivance. Elements highlighted in the virtue approach; cooperation with stakeholders and opinions of stakeholder people, discipline, education, meeting on common ground, honesty, being frank and self-confident, sincerity and respect. Elements highlighted in the justice approach; being objective, being fair, behaving equally, not making concessions, trying to be fair. The element highlighted in the heuristic approach is expressed as intuitions. In conclusion. School administrators use different ethical approaches in the face of events while making decisions, and the most frequently preferred approaches are; teleological, deontological, virtue and justice-based approach, the least preferred approach was the intuitive approach.