Responding to diverse students’ needs in New Zealand schools: Ethical problem-solving approaches used by school principals

Authors

  • Lise-Anne St.Vincent Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
  • Alison Kearney Massey University
  • Marie-Pierre Fortier Université du Québec à Montréal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v60i3.10184

Keywords:

diversity, ethical problem-solving, ethics, inclusive schools, New Zealand education system, school principal

Abstract

Inclusive schools have brought ethical challenges to school
teams, in part due to the fact that there are now more stakeholders, each with their own set of values and principles, interacting in response to diverse students’ needs. When conflicts involving ethical problems arise,
school principals act as mediators in the problem-solving process, and must consider the issues in their full complexity. In this article, we present examples of ethical problems encountered by New Zealand school principals when responding to diverse students’ needs, and the approaches taken to resolve those problems. We also highlight some singularities of New Zealand’s education system that impact ethical problem-solving in relation to addressing diverse students’ needs.

Author Biographies

Lise-Anne St.Vincent, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

is a professor in the Department of Education at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Her research focuses on the development of ethical practice among school administrators and educational staff in the context of transitioning toward inclusive education. lise-anne.st-vincent@uqtr.ca 

Alison Kearney, Massey University

is a professor at the Massey University Institute of Education in New Zealand. Her research focuses on theorizing the marginalization and exclusion of students from and within education. She was the founding co-director of the Equity Through Education Centre at Massey University and editor of the journal Kairaranga. She has served on numerous government advisory and working groups and has played a key role in developing and delivering programs for specialist teachers who work with disabled students. a.c.kearney@massey.ac.nz 

Marie-Pierre Fortier, Université du Québec à Montréal

is a professor in the Department of Special Education and Training at the Université du Québec à Montréal where she teaches in initial teacher education programs. Holding a PhD from Massey University, New Zealand, her research focuses on inclusive education, specifically on the school experiences of pupils marginalized within the school system and their voices regarding their educational conditions, as well as on the interdisciplinary work of school staff. She also conducts research in partnership with community organizations to define inclusive schooling in an inner-city context, drawing on the concept of the “learning city.” fortier.marie-pierre@uqam.ca 

References

AuCoin, A., & Vienneau, R. (2015). L’inclusion scolaire et la dénormalisation : proposition d’un nouveau paradigme. In N. Rousseau (Ed.), La pédagogie de l’inclusion scolaire : un défi ambitieux et stimulant (3rd ed., pp. 65–87). Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Bardin, L. (1996). L’analyse de contenu (7th ed.). Presses Universitaires de France.

Bebeau, M. J., Rest, J. R., & Yamoor, C. (1985). Measuring dental's students' ethical sensitivity. Journal of Dental Education, 49(4), 225–235.

Bélanger, S. (2015). Les attitudes des différents acteurs scolaires à l’égard de l’inclusion. In N. Rousseau (Ed.), La pédagogie de l’inclusion scolaire : un défi ambitieux et stimulant (3rd ed., pp. 133–155). Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Borri-Anadon, C., Desmarais, M.-É., Rousseau, N., Giguère, M.-H., & Kenny, A. (2021). Le bien-être et la réussite en contexte de diversité : un cadre enrichi pour le RÉVERBÈRE. RÉVERBÈRE.

Cherkowski, S. L., Walker, K. D., & Kutsyuruba, B. (2015). Principals’ moral agency and ethical decision-making: Toward a transformational ethics. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2015v10n5a572

Clarkeburn, H. (2002). A test for ethical sensitivity in science. Journal of Moral Education, 31(4), 439–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305724022000029662

Cranston, N., Ehrich, L., & Billot, J. (2003). The secondary school principalship in Australia and New Zealand: An investigation of changing roles. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 2(3), 159–88. https://doi.org/10.1076/lpos.2.3.159.16530

Cranston, N., Ehrich, L. C., & Kimber, M. (2014). Managing ethical dilemmas. In C. M. Branson & S. J. Gross (Eds.), Handbook of ethical educational leadership (pp. 229–245). Routledge.

Desaulniers, M.-P., & Jutras, F. (2012). L'éthique professionnelle en enseignement : fondements et pratiques. Presses de l'Université du Québec.

Education and Training Act (2020). https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest/#LMS170676

Fortier, M.-P. (2014). Inclusion and behavioural difficulties in secondary schools: Representations and practices [Doctoral thesis, Massey University]. Massey Research Online. https://mro.massey.ac.nz/items/3a78c028-4906-4418-a874-774f2c2fcf6b

Jeffrey, D. (2005). Les enjeux de la compétence éthique dans la formation des enseignants. In C. Gohier & D. Jeffrey (Eds.), Enseigner et former à l’éthique (pp. 131–148). Presses de l’Université Laval.

Kearney, A. (2011). Exclusion from and within school: Issues and solutions. Sense Publishers.

Kearney, A., & Kane, R. (2006). Inclusive education policy in New Zealand: Reality or ruse? International Journal of Inclusive Education, 10(2–3), 201–219. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603110500256145

Langlois, L. (2011). The anatomy of ethical leadership: To lead our organizations in a conscientious and authentic manner. AU Press.

Larochelle-Audet, J., Magnan, M.-O., Potvin, M., Doré, E., Amboulé-Abath, A., Gélinas-Proulx, A., Howard, P. S. S., & St-Vincent, L.-A. (2021). An administrator competency in equity and diversity: New frames of reference and training: An executive summary. Observatoire sur la formation à la diversité et l'équité. http://hdl.handle.net/1866/24983

Larouche, C. (2011). La validation d'une typologie des conceptions des universités en vue d'évaluer leur performance [Doctoral thesis, Université Laval]. CorpusUL. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11794/22586

Legault, G. A. (2003). Professionnalisme et délibération éthique. Presses de l'Université du Québec.

Leray, C., & Bourgeois, I. (2016). L’analyse de contenu. In B. Gauthier & I. Bourgeois (Eds.), Recherche sociale : de la problématique à la collecte des données (6th ed., pp. 426–453). Presses de l’université du Québec.

Ministry of Education (2025). New Zealand curriculum. New Zealand Government. https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum#collapsible7

Ministry of Education (2026). Our education system. New Zealand Government. https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/our-role-and-our-people/education-in-nz

Murphy, D. (2013). Professional school leadership: Dealing with dilemmas (2nd ed.). Dunedin Academic Press.

New Zealand School Trustees Association. (2025). Community member guide to the role of school boards. https://www.schoolboardelections.org.nz/assets/Korari/Community-member-guide-to-the-role-of-the-school-board_Sept-2020-v3.pdf

Norberg, K., & Johansson, O. (2007). Ethical dilemmas of Swedish school leaders: Contrasts and common themes. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 35(2), 277–294. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143207075393

Paillé, P., & Mucchielli, A. (2012). L'analyse qualitative en sciences humaines et sociales (3rd ed.). Armand Colin.

Poirel, E., & Yvon, F. (2011). Les sources de stress, les émotions vécues et les stratégies d’ajustement des directions d’école au Québec. Revue des sciences de l'éducation, 37(3), 595–615. https://doi.org/10.7202/1014759ar

Ryan, J. (2010). Establishing inclusion in a new school: The role of principal leadership. Exceptionality Education International, 20(2), 6–24. https://doi.org/10.5206/eei.v20i2.7660

Sabourin, P. (2009). L'analyse de contenu. In B. Gauthier (Ed.), Recherche sociale : de la problématique à la collecte des données (5th ed., pp. 114–167). Presses de l'Université du Québec.

Savoie-Zajc, L. (2016). L’entrevue semi-dirigée. In B. Gauthier & I. Bourgeois (Eds.), Recherche sociale : de la problématique à la collecte des données (6th ed., pp. 337–362). Presses de l’Université du Québec.

Savoie-Zajc, L. (2018). La recherche qualitative/interprétative. In T. Karsenti & L. Savoie-Zacj (Eds.), La recherche en éducation : étapes et approches (4th ed., pp. 191–217). Presses de l’Université de Montréal.

Shapiro, J. P., & Gross, S. J. (2013). Ethical educational leadership in turbulent times: (Re)solving moral dilemmas (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Shapiro, J. P., & Stefkovich, J. A. (2010). Ethical leadership and decision making in education: Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas (3rd ed.). Routledge.

St-Vincent, L.-A. (2011). Dimensions examinées par des novices en enseignement en adaptation scolaire en insertion professionnelle devant un problème éthique à l’école [Doctoral thesis, Université de Sherbrooke]. Savoirs UdeS. https://hdl.handle.net/11143/964

St-Vincent, L.-A. (2015). L’agir éthique chez des directions d’établissement : proposition d’une typologie des approches utilisées pour résoudre des problèmes éthiques. In L.-A. St-Vincent (Ed.), Le développement de l’agir éthique chez les professionnels en education : formations initiale et continue (pp. 139–165). Presses de l’Université du Québec.

St-Vincent, L.-A. (2017). L’agir éthique de la direction d’établissement : fondements et résolution de problèmes. Presses de l’Université du Québec.

St-Vincent, L.-A., Moliner García, M. O., & Ramel, S. (2017). Problèmes éthiques en contexte d’intégration scolaire au Canada, en Espagne et en Suisse : la place donnée à l’élève. Enseignement et recherche en administration de l’éducation, 1(1), 83–103. https://revues.uqtr.ca/erade/index.php/1/article/view/63

Thibodeau, S., Gélinas Proulx, A., St-Vincent, L.-A., Leclerc, M., Labelle, J., & Ramel, S. (2016). La direction d’école : un acteur crucial pour l’inclusion scolaire. In L. Prud’homme, H. Duchesne, P. Bonvin, & R. Vienneau (Eds.), L’inclusion scolaire : ses fondements, ses acteurs et ses pratiques (pp. 57–69). De Boeck Supérieur.

Tuana, N. (2014). An ethical leadership developmental framework. In C. M. Branson & S. J. Gross (Eds.), Handbook of ethical educational leadership (pp. 153–175). Routledge.

Global Education Monitoring Report Team. (2015). Éducation pour tous 2000–2015 : progrès et enjeux. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000232565_fre

Van der Maren, J.-M. (1996). Méthodes de recherche pour l’éducation (2nd ed.). Presses de l’Université de Montréal.

Downloads

Published

2026-09-18

How to Cite

St.Vincent, L.-A., Kearney, A., & Fortier, M.-P. (2026). Responding to diverse students’ needs in New Zealand schools: Ethical problem-solving approaches used by school principals . McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 60(3), 202–223. https://doi.org/10.26443/mje/rsem.v60i3.10184

Issue

Vol. 60 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 McGill Journal of Education / Revue des sciences de l'éducation de McGill

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.