Teachers and Ethics Responsibilities - Essay Example

? Teachers and Ethics Responsibilities Part Ethical and Professional issues in the dilemma Elizabeth appears to be caught in between two choices that both bear moral aspects in this matter. She could choose to allow Trevor’s parents to intervene and permit a counseling session that could help to mould a better character in Trevor. Unfortunately, the certainty of success with this approach is not guaranteed because of his parents known tendencies for physical child abuse. Elizabeth’s view is to avoid having Trevor’s parents participate in the decision and proceed with the counseling sessions. On the other hand, this contravenes school policy, which gives the child’s parents a right to participate in such decisions. Part 2: Application of different ethical approach theories Each of the options that present themselves to Elizabeth in this situation has an ethical value if assessed using different perspectives. Choosing to proceed with counseling sessions without the parents’ consent can be validated as ethical under the consequential view. This will have a likely positive outcome, as it will eliminate Trevor’s misconduct. In addition to this, it protects him from abuse by his parents who would more likely than not exact their own means of punishment on learning about Trevor’s behavior. The fact that prior evidence indicates a sustained trend of such response from Trevor’s parents gives the ethical value of this option much substance. On the other hand, this option cannot be justified under the non-consequential view of professional ethics. This is because the very act in itself undermines the rights of Trevor’s parents to choose a suitable method of discipline for their child. There are non-consequential ethics with the second approach to inform Trevor’s parents about the stealing incident and counseling sessions. It is in order that Trevor’s parents acquire information to enable them to be involved in their child’s future. However on a consequential viewpoint, exposing Trevor to such an abusive environment may even do more harm than good to his character. All these outcomes of his parents’ violent reactions will have far-reaching negative implications. The ethical value of following school policy in regards to this matter is minimal if one takes a consequential standpoint. The non-consequential approach The non-consequential theory evaluates the ethical nature of an action based on its value (Freakly & Burgh, 2000). The assessment of the act is on terms of what it directly implies. Certain kinds of acts are immediately dismissed as unethical and others as ethical. There is a static and clear classification in this case since there are some merits in taking the non-consequential approach to judge ethical value. One advantage of the non-consequential approach is that it preserves the importance of professional duty. In a sense, it puts a set of unchanging values that come with taking up a certain professional position forward (Preston, 2007). Allowing exceptional cases to have alternative consideration creates room for past reference in the future, which may complicate the judgment of similar cases once they arise. Another advantage is the protection of the rights and freedoms of people. In a non-consequential scenario, the rights of an individual are considered values that bear as much weight as the gain construed from seeking a positive outcome from a decision. Though the non-consequential theory has advantages of a static nature, it prevents progress on many levels. The creation of a system to uphold rights is essentially going to give precedence of such rights over social development, which would include changing the child’s behavior and changing the parents’ view on non-violent discipline. The consequential approach The consequential approach judges an action’s rightness based on the outcomes of its implementation. If the outcomes of taking an action prove to be positive, then that action is judged as right, and if it is negative, then it is wrong. The consequential theory hence presents a point of reference for judgment. Utilitarianism is the most often applied version of consequential theory. It classifies ethical actions as those that benefit the most number of people in the society (Sinnot-Armstong, 2011). The main strength of consequentialism is that it serves to secure a better future for everyone. Taking on a consequential approach when choosing between actions, more often than not, results in a favorable outcome for the majority of people involved. Therefore, the consequential system bears more flexibility and functionality in decision-making (Jeurissen, 2007). Again, this system gives the decision maker authority in making ethical decisions. The relevance of the decision made will be based on its own discretion of possible outcomes, and how they affect everyone. The accuracy of this method, however, can vary depending on the circumstances. Not all outcomes in a situation are predictable with complete certainty. To base one’s ethical choices on such an approach can result in error if the wrong outcomes are assumed. Additionally, the value of certain outcomes is subjective to individual opinion. This hence creates a variance in how different people judge the same action (Mulgan 2005). The possibility of such a wide range of views thus creates an unreliable basis for ethical decision-making. Solution If one settles for the non-consequential approach, it is of the essence to contact and inform Trevor’s parents of Trevor’s misconduct. The most likely outcome is that Trevor will receive physical punishment, which will open an opportunity to report the parents of suspected child abuse. The outcome of this is that Trevor’s parents may receive sentences that will keep them away from Trevor, which in turn will have a negative effect on Trevor. On the positive note, it will pave the way for counseling sessions. This will both serve to assist him recover from the effects of abuse and improve his character to stop his theft habits. The consequential approach may work well for a temporary period (Cox, n.d.). If the parents find out that the sessions had proceeded without their consent, then Elizabeth may be in trouble, and the school’s reputation may become tainted. Furthermore, the physical abuse that the child was receiving protection against may still take place. If Trevor’s parents withdraw him from school, it may become more difficult to win a case of child abuse against the parents. Hence, the non-consequential approach is a more deserved solution to the matter. The non-consequential approach is in line with Principle 1.6 of the VIT code of conduct, which stipulates that a teacher should maintain proper communication channels with parents at all times and consider the parents’ take on matters concerning their children (Victorian Institute of Teaching, n.d.). Part 3: How ethical behavior connects to being a professional Professional bodies normally have a code of conduct founded upon a set of ethical values (Barsky, 2009). The items contained in the code each represents a certain value that helps to bring out the best forms of practice by professionals that from a part of that body. For the Victorian Institute of Teaching, such values include integrity, responsibility and respect. As a professional, one must acknowledge the need to put other people’s interest before one’s own. In any situation, this will call for ethical behavior and the application of rationality. The principles outlined by the professional body should precede personal values. This means that the general approach to ethical conduct provided is the one that needs to be followed. Acting otherwise would thus constitute an unprofessional interference even if this means applying different perspectives to the ethics concerned. Campbell (2003) points out that a teacher has a professional, moral obligation to teach ethics to students through his/her own conduct. This is both via the teacher’s relation with students and with those within the sphere of interactions that the students can observe. In essence, the teacher sets an example for the children to follow. Having a professional duty not only to impart educational knowledge, but also moral values, the teacher must become a part of the lesson and adhere to general ethics (Campbell, 2003). It is necessary to realize that ethical practice takes place in the presence of various sets of interests. Certain situations can easily be dealt with to the satisfaction of all parties involved while others may not. For instance, in the case scenario where a college student, Daniel, was caught with an illegal drug substance, there were several concerns that arose (Cranston, Ehrich & Kimber, n.d.). Firstly, as it is a criminal offense, the school had an obligation to respond to the incident and report it. This shows the affiliation that such a situation has with government authorities. Again, parents needed to receive notification on the situation, but on the contrary, they would prefer not to have the authorities confine him. For the teaching panel, such a decision would have a negative influence on Daniel, as he will miss a chance to further his education. The community may also have their own expectations. With a general attitude, that is intolerant to drug abuse, the community may expect the school to exact disciplinary actions, and this will involve reporting the case to the authorities. The offenders may also be suspended from school for a few days, which may help them to reform. These are some of the many implications, which underlie ethical decision-making in professional circles. References Barsky, A.E. (2009) Ethics and Values in Social Work: An Integrated Approach for a Comprehensive curriculum. Oxford, USA: Oxford University Press. Campbell, E. (2003). ‘The teacher as a moral person’, The ethical teacher. Maidenhead, Philadelphia: Open University Press. Cranston, N., Enrich, L. & Kimber, M. (n.d.). Towards an understanding of ethical dilemmas for school leaders. Westminster Studies in Education. Cox, D. (n.d.) Integrity, Commitment, and Indirect Consequentialis. Retrieved from >http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=damian_cox< Freakley, M. & Burgh, G. (2000). Engaging with ethics: ethical inquiry for teachers. Katoomba, NSW: Social Science Press. Jeurissen, R. (2007). Ethics & Business. Netherlands: Uitgeverij Van Gorcum. Mulgan, T. (2005). The Demands of Consequentialism. Oxford, USA: Oxford University Press. Preston, N. (2007). Understanding Ethic. Sydney, Australia: The Federation Press. Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2011) "Consequentialism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2011 Edition). Retrieved from >http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2011/entries/consequentialism/< Victoria Institute of Teaching (n.d.). The Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct. Retrieved from >http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/SiteCollection Documents/PDF/1543 Code-of-Conduct-June-2008.pdf Read More