Inquiry into Educational Policy studies E 678 For Dr. Ellett and Dr. Pitman By: Andrew Smith 002389849 1. The Research Problem.
a) For my graduate-level thesis, I wish to explore the issues surrounding the question, "How has the working relationship between Teacher and Administrator in the high-school setting changed since the implementation of Bill 160." b) It has been around ten years since the Harris government introduced what has been described as "the most controversial legislation in the history of Ontario education." Bill 160 forced the administrators out of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (hereafter referred to as OSSTF). This one action generated intense discussion from all of the educational stakeholders in Ontario. Some supported the action; others were vehemently opposed to it. This is a problem worth investigating since it dramatically impacted the principals from both a personal and professional point of view. When the government forced the administrators out of the federation, it created a fundamental change in the organizational hierarchy of the Ontario educational system. In effect, it changed the role of the principals from being "educational leaders" to being "building managers" and "agents of the board". This changed the job description of the principal, thus changing the professional circumstances under which the principals were employed.
Prior to this, administrators had held key positions within OSSTF, an organization that was held in great regard by many of these administrators. When they were removed from the federation, they also lost the protection of the federation and the right to collective bargaining. This new social reality that the principals found themselves in caused some principals in the TVDSB to give up their principalship and return to the classroom since they could not agree with the conditions of their "new position". Further to the social issues that I have already mentioned, my research will also explore how the social environment of the school has changed, for instance, I would like to examine how working relationships, communication, and support between administrators and staff have changed since the implementation of the bill. Since it is critical that a principal have skills in developing and sustaining relationships any change to the framework under which they operate could significantly impact the ability for the principal to act in an effective manner. T I believe that the practical nature of the thesis is self-evident as it has now been ten years since the legislation has been in effect, and this will be ample time to draw conclusions into whether or not removing the administration has had a positive or negative impact on education. The findings of this study will help to determine if the government should perhaps revisit the question or be confident in their decision to have the administrators as an entity separate from the federation. As time passes though, it will be m...
