Managing Bad Teachers - The Hows and the Whys

Oct 15, 2026

C.B. Peterson Elementary School is identified as an at-risk Ontario school, triggering a district Equity and Inclusion Policy aligned with NWDSB priorities. The case examines how senior administrators craft staffing decisions after their first private meeting, balancing intensification of leadership work with goals for a socially just school. It highlights tensions when leaders disagree on how to position effective, ineffective, and bad teaching staff, and it focuses on strategies for managing teachers who refuse to adapt practice, including conflict management approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Case Narrative

School profile and equity context

Initiative for at-risk student leadership

Conflict with a senior teacher and union constraints

Administrators’ next steps and conflict management

Managing Bad Teachers: The Hows and the Whys Katie Higginbottom University of Toronto Abstract C.B. Peterson Elementary School is identified as an at-risk school, as per the North West District School Board’s (NWDSB) criteria. In light of rising diversity issues, the school board has released an Equity and Inclusion Policy, which is a top priority to C.B. Peterson’s administration team. This new policy adds to the work intensification faced by these administrators. This case describes the candid discussions between the administration team during their first private meeting to make staffing decisions that reflect the Equity and Inclusion Policy for the upcoming school year. However, staffing a more socially just school, that isin compliance with the NWDSB’s new priorities, will add hours to administrators’ workload. Tensions arise when conversations about how to staff for a socially just school lead to disagreements. Discussions include where to strategically place effective, ineffective, and altogether bad teaching staff in order to have the greatest and least impact on students, respectively. Teaching activities in this case study focus on strategies for dealing with teachers who refuse to adapt their practice to current policies/initiatives as well as strategies for conflict management. Keywords: challenging teachers, union, leadership, educational administration C.B. Peterson Elementary School C. B. Peterson is a medium sized-elementary school in Ontario, hosting 600 students from junior kindergarten to Grade 8. The school is located in an urban center and is extremely diverse along the lines of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion. There is a teaching staff of 30 who, unfortunately, do not reflect the diversity of students. In terms of age and experience, teachers vary from young and inexperienced teachers to older, veteran teachers who are still teaching despite their eligibility regarding retirement. Janet Smith, a first-year principal, and Becca Elliott, the vice principal, who has been at C.B. Peterson for the past two years, agree that age and experience of teaching staff does not always align with one’s competence as a classroom teacher, nor their propensity for social justice. Though Janet and Becca agree that many of the equity-minded teachers are quite new, the administration team does not agree on all fronts regarding how to best utilize socially just, equity-minded teachers. Efforts to run a socially just, equity-minded school and get along with one another and teaching staff, while attempting to meet additional competing demands of administrators, all add to the workplace intensification already experienced by both Janet and Becca. Case Narrative This school year, Janet and Becca have put several social justice initiatives in place and have struggled to understand the reaction of one of the most senior teachers at C. B. Peterson, Mrs. Lazyrithe. The administration team began by putting forth one initiative whereby at-risk students have the opportunity to become leaders in the school. The purpose of this initiative is to provide at-risk students with a sense of purpose and belonging. When the two proposed this idea at the September staff meeting, Mrs. Lazyrithe outwardly disagreed, claiming that this initiative would be rewarding negative behaviour and not preparing students for reality. Despite the persistent protests of Mrs. Lazyrithe, most teachers saw this initiative as an opportunity to engage a hard-to-reach population in the school and expressed their support. With the majority of staff on board, Janet and Becca implemented the initiative. Teachers tapped several at-risk students on the shoulder and asked them to take on various responsibilities within the school. The tasks included reading announcements, being hall monitors, and helping to plan and lead assemblies. One of these candidates was a Grade 5 student in Mrs. Lazyrithe’s class. This student expre

FAQs

Why is C.B. Peterson Elementary School considered at-risk, and what policy responds to this status?

The school is identified as at-risk under NWDSB criteria. The board releases an Equity and Inclusion Policy as a top priority to guide school administration and staffing decisions.

What initiative did Janet and Becca implement to support at-risk students?

They introduced an initiative giving at-risk students opportunities to become leaders, including responsibilities such as reading announcements, serving as hall monitors, and helping plan and lead assemblies.

How did Mrs. Lazyrithe’s refusal affect the announcement-reading initiative?

After the student was tapped to read announcements, he did not show up because his teacher would not allow him to leave class due to missing homework. This created a disruption that required administrative support to cover the tasks.

Oct 15, 2026

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