Some school-site principals have been the subject of films (e.g., Joe Clark– in “Lean on Me”) and some have been caricatured (e.g., the fictitious Edward Rooney in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”). Both political realities–someone has to be in charge to manage a school building and staff of teachers, secretaries, aides, and custodians–and research studies position the principal as the key player in mobilizing teachers, students, and parents to put into practice school and district goals. Their importance, of course, only sharpens the pen that cartoonists wield in poking at the different roles (e.g., managerial, political, and instructional) that principals perform daily and the inevitable dilemmas that they face. As part of a monthly feature*, here are a few cartoons. Enjoy.
*In previous months, the following cartoons have been posted: “Digital Kids in School,” “Testing,” “Blaming Is So American,” “Accountability in Action,” “Charter Schools,” and “Age-graded Schools,” Students and Teachers, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Digital Teachers, Addiction to Electronic Devices, Testing, Testing, and Testing, Business and Schools, Common Core Standards, Problems and Dilemmas, Digital Natives (2), Online Courses, , Students and Teachers Again, “Doctors and Teachers,” Parent/teacher conferences, and “Preschools.”