If you want some black humour regarding the new style of top-down management by school principals, watch the tv cartoon show called Daria. The principal is exactly as described in this thread, even down to the smart suit.

Daria & her similarly intelligent, creative friends are a joy to watch, and the humourous juxtapositions of Daria to her sister Quinn & friends (members of The Fashion Club) is funny. It is a very clever show, much more intelligent than many of the other tv programmes on offer, cartoon or live performance alike. A lot of the scenes are at Daria & Quinn's high school, and there are teachers with quirky personalities who have various ways of dealing with the stress. I wish I had the whole set to watch over & over. I love it!

I didn't realise until I just read this whole thread through that the school situation in Daria is one of the reasons I relate so much to the show.

Helen
(still happy as a reconfigured ex-teacher)