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On 8/11/16, newadministrator wrote:

> The teacher (rightly,
> in my opinion) questioned why students couldn't speak in
> their own language when trying to understand new
> concepts. The principal responded with "The board made
> that decision, so it's beyond my control."
>
> From what I've been learning and studying, the principal
> should instead accept the policy as something that he
> helped create so that the teacher doesn't look at the
> board as it is just some evil entity that's making
> policies. In other words, the principal should present a
> case against the policy to the board, but ultimately
> back it 100% if they lose their argument.

He is backing the policy. He's backing it by implementing
it, as it should be, and by his implied statement that he
expects the teacher to implement it as well. He doesn't
have a choice and he's correct that it's beyond his
control. I don't think there is anything wrong with his
response. In fact it's probably important for the teacher
to understand that it is a board policy (as opposed to
something the principal came up with) so that she
understands that it's not something the school can change
unilaterally. I think this is a common thing to say...
especially when faced with someone trying to convince you
to change something you do not have the power to change.
It's the more honest and more considerate way of saying
"don't waste your breath trying to convince me." The
principal might agree with her to begin with or the teacher
might waste time trying to convince the principal, but it's
not going to change the fact that it's a board policy
beyond school site control, regardless of how the teacher
or the principal feel about it.
I honestly don't think his response that "the board made
that decision, so it's beyond my control" means that he's
not "backing the policy 100%" as you said. He's explaining
where it came from, and stating that it must be followed,
and it will be. That's backing it. Letting a teacher know
where it came from doesn't change that.

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