Ethics in Practice - Case Study Example

Running Head: Ethics in Practice - Case Study Ethics in Practice - Case Study [Institute’s Ethics in Practice - Case Study Introduction This paper is an attempt to explore the case of a reporter of a local community newspaper who is faced with an ethical dilemma. It comes into his knowledge that his partner is in the process of publishing an article containing lewd but not sexually explicit photos of two teachers from a primary school. These photos may end up damaging the reputation of these teachers and may cost them their jobs. More importantly, the reporter’ friend’s Jane Ryan who is publishing this article is aware of the fact that he had access to those photos since he was added as a friend of one of those teachers on facebook. All expect one of the photos were accessible to other but only to a few friends. The paper is an attempt to get into the shoes of that reporter and help solve the ethical dilemma. Discussion The point, which is important here to note is that by not allowing that article to the published, one, would be upholding the principles of “liberty” and “freedom”. Analysis has indicated only a handful of prominent philosophers in the Western world that have not gone on to mention “liberty” as a value or virtue. Whether it is Karl Marx or John Stuart Mill, John Rawls or Kant, Nietzsche or Aristotle, they all believe that liberty and freedom is what makes the integral part of the human essence. In the absence of freedom and liberty, humans are very much similar to other animals. In fact, John Rawls, one of greatest philosophers of the 21st century has gone to elaborate the concept of liberty and its limits in a great manner, which says, “Liberty can only be restricted for liberty itself” (Corey, Corey & Callanan, pp. 64-67, 2010). Quite understandably, by posting those photos in the newspaper, Jane would be restricting the freedom of those teachers since those photos were not for the entire world but for a handful of friends. The only rational behind restricting the freedom of those teachers would be if their freedom had limiting someone else’s liberty of information, informed consent or others (Livingstone, pp. 85-89, 2009). However, this is not the case here. Their “lewd” photos are a matter of their personal life and not their public lives and whatever they do, after they are done teaching, should not be of any concern to others. Everyone has a right to live his or her private or personal lives with minimum interference from the outside (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, pp. 36-37, 2007). This article would be worth publishing and in fact, it would have become imperative to publish the articles if these photos were not of some private party but of any misconduct at school. For example, a picture showing improper treatment of students, damaging the school property, misusing the authority as a teacher, harassing any student outside the school, interfering with the lives of the parents of students in the name of school research and so on, all these would have given a clear motivation to Jane for publishing an article exposing those teachers. Nevertheless, the photos that Jane is trying to publish, which would make those teachers lose their jobs have nothing to do their school life. Their suspension should only take place if they have done something to the school (Wagner & Simpson, pp. 41-45, 2008). Another rational for this decision lies in the long term and societal consequences of this article. May be Jane’s motivation behind this article lies in the wish that only respected, dignified and clean people should serve the local schools as teachers. However, quite understandably, there is no way in which Jane could achieve this goal with putting those pictures in the newspapers (Corey, Corey & Callanan, pp. 64-67, 2010). Will those mean that other teachers who are involved in activities, which do not suit primary teachers, will those teachers stop those activities. May be for a while but the only difference that it would make is that they would stop posting any of these pictures on facebook or they will post these pictures with even more security (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, pp. 120-121, 2010). Furthermore, if Jane had access to those pictures on the facebook, which means that, those teachers or one of them had trusted Jane to see those pictures. By making them, public Jane would betray the trust of that teacher and would send a message to the world that reporters and journalists would go to any limits in order to obtain stories, which can create gossip in the town. There is this possibility that in an attempt to come clean, those teachers may put the blame on Jane that he had a little history of conflict with those teachers or one of those teachers and that is why he used his facebook account to put those photos on the internet (Belsey & Chadwick, pp. 264, 1992). Another very important aspect in this regard is the fact that all of those “lewd” photos, which are not sexually explicit, are accessible through the Facebook account of all teachers. Let us assume that those photos have been there for quite some while. If those photos were really a matter of concern and objection, then at least one of the teachers would have gathered up the courage to talk to school management about the “inappropriate behavior” of these teachers. However, as the case suggests, no such development has taken place (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, pp. 120-121, 2010). This could only mean one of the two things. First, the other teachers do not see this as a matter of concern and have overlooked this “issue” as an ordinary one or maybe they do not want to risk their friendship with those teachers. Second, they are following a policy of your scratch my back and I would scratch yours (Corey, Corey & Callanan, pp. 64-67, 2010). The point here is that whatever the case is, the teachers themselves have not come up to tell the school authorities. If they are involved in these activities then there is all the chance when those two teachers lose their jobs, they would try to take others down by presenting similar evidence regarding those teachers as well (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, pp. 36-37, 2007). Although, it is important here to acknowledge that if the article gets published in the newspaper, despite all the ethical issues that it will create, there are chances that it would create an environment where teachers would be try to be more responsible and careful about their activities. Despite of the fact that whatever they do in their houses and in their private time is their personal matter but when it comes to a profession like teaching where students are really looking up to you, it is important that teachers try to come off as role models (Houser, Wilczenski, Ham & Ham, pp. 15-16, 2006). Students and especially primary students are more likely to listen to their teachers rather than their parents. These children, during their phase of the life, learn many things from their teachers, even the definitions of good, bad, permissible, and impermissible actions. Therefore, teachers have to understand that their job is not to read books or impart their knowledge to the students but their job is to make the lives of the students and provide them with the right role models and right sense of direction. Therefore, expelling two teachers on the discussed account would ensure that all other teachers in the two could get the message that there is an huge responsibility on their shoulders and they cannot send wrong messages to the little children who look up to them (Livingstone, pp. 85-89, 2009). If that article receives space in the newspaper and even if the teachers do not receive a suspension, it would make life extremely tough for the teachers. Not all the stakeholders of the school who get a chance to see those photos will see the teachers with the same lens again. The worst case would be if the students see those photos. There are all the chances that they would lose their respect for these teachers or maybe they would get the wrong impression about what is acceptable and unacceptable in the society at this young age. Furthermore, it is highly likely that their superiors may not be able to give them a fair evaluation or appraisal due to halo effect. Halo effect refers to the condition where the impression of one person is greatly distorted due to one particular element or characteristic of that person. There are all the chances that their superiors and supervisors may give them low ratings despite their good performance just because those photos are there in the back of their head (Houser, Wilczenski, Ham & Ham, pp. 15-16, 2006). Also important here to note is if other information about the previous history of teachers were available, it would have been easier to make this decisions. For example, if the previous record of these teachers is clean and there is no trace of any illegal or unethical actions, if they are good teachers who are good at their jobs and teachers, parents and colleagues love them then it would be an easier decision not to publish this article. However, if the teachers share a history of misconduct, the school is not happy with them and they are not the best at their job then may be this article would serve as an attempt of poetic justice (Hugman & Smith, pp. 10, 1995). On the other side of the picture, if these pictures are not published then this may serve as a silent encouragement to other teachers. The message that teachers would get would be that the school and the society is ready to tolerate this kind of behavior. Despite the fact that those were not actually sexually explicit pictures and that is why they were acceptable but it is highly likely that others would not be able to make the same distinction between “acceptable” and “unacceptable” (Gilliland, Steiner & Skarlicki, pp. 36-37, 2007). The point here is that not publishing these pictures would be an encouragement other teachers to repeat the same mistake and making an example out of those teachers may allow the school to ensure that no other teacher can ever go even near to touching that boundary. Nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, the downside of basing the entire decision on this logic is the fact that even if an example is made out of this issue, it is highly unlikely that the other teachers, if involved in these activities, would leave them. They would just try to become more careful about them and ensure that none of the pictures land on the facebook. Therefore, what is required is to ensure that rather than publishing this article in the newspaper, the reporters should discuss this issue one to one with the school management and the teachers. The school should try to educate the teachers and other school staff that despite the fact that whatever they do out of school boundary is their personal life but the profession requires them to maintain dignity, honesty and an upright attitude at all times. Conclusion Therefore, the ethical and moral thing to do here would be to refrain from posting such an article for the maximum good of maximum number of people. Nevertheless, there are some downsides to this particular approach as well but it is the best available option out of the other choices. References Belsey, Andrew, & Chadwick, Ruth F. 1992. Ethical issues in journalism and the media. Routledge. Corey, Gerald, Corey, Marianne Schneider., & Callanan, Patrick. 2010. Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. Cengage Learning. Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, John, & Ferrell, Linda. 2010. Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases. Cengage Learning. Gilliland, S., Steiner, Dirk D., & Skarlicki, Daniel. 2007. Managing social and ethical issues in organizations. IAP. Houser, R., Wilczenski, Felicia L., Ham, MaryAnna. & Ham, MaryAnna Domokos-Cheng. 2006. Culturally relevant ethical decision-making in counseling. Sage Publications. Hugman, Richard, & Smith, David. 1995. Ethical issues in social work. Routledge. Livingstone, Les. 2009. Ethical Decision Making. Cengage Learning. Wagner, Paul A., & Simpson, Douglas J. 2008. Ethical decision making in school administration: leadership as moral architecture. SAGE. Read More