Abstract:

The aim of this research is to determine the demands of pressure groups related to school principals'management duties, and the school principals' responses to these demands. The research group consisted of school principals who workedin public primary schools in the Gebze, Çayırova, and Dilovasıdistricts in Kocaeli province. This is a qualitative research. The data gathered through interviewswere analyzed through content analysis. The results revealed that the primary demand of the parents from the principals was to be able to choose the first grade teachers. What the political parties wished to see done most was to be able to enroll students from outside the registration area. While the ultimate aim of the trade unions was to enroll as many new members as possible, the demands of the religious groups were to organize demonstrations, put up posters, and successful enrollment of students who lived in their dormitories. The results also revealed that the tactics used by the school principals were refusal, acceptance, delaying, setting meetings and seminars, and face-to-face talks with the parents in order to deal with their demands. The participants either refused or accepted the demands of trade unions. The participants, again, eitherrefused, or accepted, or used delaying tactics in order to deal with the demands of political groups. Finally, they refused one of the demands of religious groups, but accepted the other one

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