Moral leadership in the Lincoln presidency and implications for educational leaders

• Main Author: Lemieux, William
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Subjects: education, administration; education, philosophy of; history, united states
• ISBN: 0542114747; 9780542114748

This dissertation examines and identifies the moral leadership attributes of the Lincoln presidency and its implications for educational leaders through the lens of Moral Leadership: Getting to the Heart of School Improvement by Thomas Sergiovanni. Abraham Lincoln's life has been a source of study, debate, and interpretation since his death in 1865. The Lincoln presidency had a significant impact on the affirmation and development of civil liberties, the role of the federal government, the breadth of presidential power, and the foundational authority for social justice in a democratic society. Through the use of historical documentary methodology, Abraham Lincoln's moral leadership is examined in the development of the Emancipation Proclamation, the implications of the Gettysburg Address, and the compassion and reconciliation of the Second Inaugural Address. These primary documents serve as the basis of the study and are supported by the letters, speeches, and historical events which led to their development. The dissertation concludes with implications for educational leaders as formulated by Thomas Sergiovanni in his description of the virtuous school. This model was expanded upon and given greater structure by Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker in Learning Communities at Work.