Ethics are an abstract concept that can be defined in
many ways based upon ones perspective. One of the goals of public
education is to develop the students’ sense of morality in order to help
them to become good citizens who will make positive contributions to
our society. Start states that ethics is “the study of underlying
beliefs and assumptions, principles and values, that support a moral way
of life” ( Start, 2004, 2004, p. 5). He explains, that educators and
students need responsibility, authenticity, and presence in order to
create a productive and authentic learning environment; without these
virtues, schools will not succeed in their mission to prepare their
students to be moral and just leaders ( Start, 2004, p. 5). Theodore
Sizer defines ethics as “consideration for one’s fellow human beings”
that requires all members of a community to “think about their actions,
personal and collective” in order to ensure an ethical learning
community (Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 15). Katz states that
ethical educators are not solely concerned with justice but also
consider an ethic of caring (Katz, Nodding, & Strike, 1999, p. 18).
Justice is based upon a “false universalism” that assumes that all
persons have the same desires and needs as the ruling class,” whereas
caring allows for educators to meet the unique needs of each learner
(Kat, Nodding, & Strike, 1999, p. 19). Kat views ethics in
education as meeting the needs of each individual. He states that there
is moral pluralism to all ethical dilemmas and that “ moral goods often
conflict making each situation unique and complicated” (Katz, Nodding,
& Strike, 1999, p. 21). While the authors have different definitions
of ethics they share the belief that ethics must be part of the
curriculum for public school students.
Ethical leaders serve as role models for the students, teachers, and administrators in their school or district (Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. xviii). They also create opportunities for students and faculty to reflect on ethics in order to clarify their understanding of right and wrong. Ethical leaders share certain values. They value their students as individuals. Students must feel “a sense that there is something” they “can which is valued” by peers and authority figures ( Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 22). Unless students respect themselves and feel comfortable with whom they are, they will be unable to respect others and to accept those who are different from them. Educators are faced with the unique challenge of balancing fairness for all students and caring for each student. Teachers and administrators must value every member of the learning community. Katz notes that teachers must care for all students but balance the needs of one student with the equal treatment of all students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.71). Teachers must act ethically towards all students in their learning community, not just for the students they teach. One must be careful that he does not harm others to benefit his own friends, family, or students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.29). Ethical leaders value all persons regardless of personal relationships. Educators must value the safety of their learners. Educational leaders take an oath to do no harm. However, this oath is not sufficient. Ethical leaders are maximally responsible and in addition to avoiding hurting others, they seek to do good and to help their constituents (Starratt, 2004, p.32,38). Valuing healthy relationships with students, coworkers, family, and friends helps ethical leaders to remain true to themselves and to maintain their mental health which is a responsibility as a human being ( Starratt, 2004, pp. 49-50).
Ethical leaders need more than values. They need to act to create a more just and caring learning community. Educators expect students to be honest, organized and prepared and therefore need to exemplify these expectations in order to prevent hypocrisy (Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. xvii). Leaders should create opportunities for discussion of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Faculty, administration, parents, and students must be welcomed into this conversation so that the entire learning community has the opportunity to voice their concerns and share their perspectives. Involving students in the discussion of ethical behaviors is essential. Educators must avoid “treating adolescents as delicate flowers, unable to act and think” for themselves ( Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 24). Allowing students to participate in he discussion shows respect for their ideas and their concerns and will increase their willingness to follow the community guidelines that are established as a cooperative effort. Additionally, ethical leaders must hold all members of the community accountable for their actions. No member of a school can be allowed to act immorally without facing a consequence (Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 15). In order to decrease the likelihood that students or faculty will lie, cheat, or choice to avoid working to their potential, schools must avoid a reliance on multiple choice tests and memorization. These assessment techniques suggest that the school values memorization more than critical thought. Schools must create a culture where independent thought, analytical writing and discussion are valued. Only when creativity and analysis are admired and expected will students be true to themselves and work towards their potential (Sizer and Faust Sizer, 1999, pp. 55-56). Educators should prepare themselves for ethical dilemmas by reflecting on the appropriate manner in which “to treat different kinds of people well in different situations” so that when it comes time to act, the already have determined the appropriate course of action Educators are faced with the unique challenge of balancing fairness for all students and caring for each student. Katz notes that teachers must care for all students but balance the needs of one student with the equal treatment of all students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.71). Teachers must act ethically towards all students in their learning community, not just for the students they teach. One must be careful that he does not harm others to benefit his own friends, family, or students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.73). Ethical leaders develop positive self-talk in order to “develop their sense of ethical justice and capacity for kindness” Educators are faced with the unique challenge of balancing fairness for all students and caring for each student. Katz notes that teachers must care for all students but balance the needs of one student with the equal treatment of all students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.71). Teachers must act ethically towards all students in their learning community, not just for the students they teach. One must be careful that he does not harm others to benefit his own friends, family, or students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p. 75). Remaining current in one’s educational research is crucial for all leaders. Without an ongoing quest for updated knowledge regarding educational research a leader is unprepared for the difficult decisions he will make on behalf of his school. A leader who makes decisions based on outdated information is unethical because he is risking the well-being of those he serves ( Starratt, 2004, p. 50). Educational leaders are responsible to the students, staff, parents, district, school board, and community ( Starratt, 2004, p. 52). Students must be provided with the resources they need to learn. Faculty must be appreciated and recruited through fair employment practices. Parents must be treated as partners in their children’s education (Starratt, 2004, pp.52-55). These “healthy working relationships” contribute to the creation of a “healthy environment for the learning and practice of civic virtues” ( Starratt, 2004, p.63). There are many ethical challenges that face contemporary educators in their professional practice.
Large class sizes make it difficult for teachers to get to know their students in meaningful ways. When teachers are faced with hundreds of students it is often difficult to determine when a student is not working to his or her potential. Teachers therefore have a hard time knowing when to demand more of each student and when to accept mediocre performance. Student bluffing in regards to missing assignments and cheating is also difficult to detect in larger class sizes. Since teachers are unable to accurately assess their students’ effort they are unable to hold students accountable for their unethical actions ( Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 49). Sorting students through tracking or based upon standardized tests in another challenge for contemporary educators. “Rigid academic tracking so common in American High Schools has been demonstrated to be harmful in research study after research study, but it is attractive to families who want their children sorted by race, class, or other stereotypes” and it is favored by teachers who are resistant to use differentiated instruction ( Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 72). Since sorting students is harmful it is a moral imperative that schools resist the pressure to track students and force teachers to use differentiated instruction to improve their instruction. Katz agrees with Sizer, he explains that since each students has unique needs it is unreasonable not to differentiate instruction (Katz, Nodding, & Strike, 1999, p. 71). Ethical educators must strive to create a perfect balance between comfort and tension in order to maximize achievement ( Sizer & Faust Sizer, 1999, p. 104). Every learner’s anxiety threshold is different. The level of anxiety that is necessary to motivate some students and faculty members would cause emotional distress to other students and faculty members. Teachers and administrators should differentiate their methods of motivation and instruction in order to create an ideal learning environment for each learner.
Ethical educators resist school vouchers as they are unethical from both a justice perspective and a caring perspective. Liberal persons, who utilize a moral lens based on justice, oppose vouchers because they decrease the amount of funding available for public schools Educators are faced with the unique challenge of balancing fairness for all students and caring for each student. Katz notes that teachers must care for all students but balance the needs of one student with the equal treatment of all students (Katz, Nodding, & Strike, 1999, p.71). Teachers must act ethically towards all students in their learning community, not just for the students they teach. One must be careful that he does not harm others to benefit his own friends, family, or students (Katz, Nodding s, & Strike, 1999, pp. 113-118). Educators who use an ethic of care oppose vouchers because they believe that the public school have a moral obligation to “affirm group differences and to give specific representation to oppressed groups” and private schools do not necessarily subscribe to this goal Educators are faced with the unique challenge of balancing fairness for all students and caring for each student. Katz notes that teachers must care for all students but balance the needs of one student with the equal treatment of all students (Katz, Nodding, & Strike, 1999, p.71). Teachers must act ethically towards all students in their learning community, not just for the students they teach. One must be careful that he does not harm others to benefit his own friends, family, or students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.123). Blum explains that contemporary educators should not encourage multicultural organizations because “the group based goods of security, belonging, loalty, and solidarity that ethno-racial groups can realize” oppose the moral values of justice and care Educators are faced with the unique challenge of balancing fairness for all students and caring for each student. Katz notes that teachers must care for all students but balance the needs of one student with the equal treatment of all students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.71). Teachers must act ethically towards all students in their learning community, not just for the students they teach. One must be careful that he does not harm others to benefit his own friends, family, or students (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p.144). Since ethno-racial organizations do not help all students equally, and can serve to create more artificial division among the student body, educators must work to regulate their activity. Sexual harassment is an ongoing concern for educators. Students, faculty, and administrators are often subject to sexual harassment during the school day. Chamberlain and Houston assert that current policies do not adequately protect students from sexual harassment because they “treat sexual harassment as a legal issue rather than an educational issue” (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p. 147). While educators must continue to hold students and faculty accountable for acts of sexual harassment they must also work to prevent sexual harassment by discussing it in the classroom. Students and educators who harass must be punished for their behavior. Students and faculty must be able to participate in discussions that help them to clarify their understanding of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Teachers must resist the tendency to blame immaturity for sexual harassment. While immaturity and ignorance can lead a person to partake in sexual harassment, the intent of the behavior is irrelevant; harassment harms others even if there is no ill intent (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p. 153). Ethical educators proactively prevent sexual harassment and defend the rights of victims. Victims must be assured that their complaints will be taken seriously and that their safety and comfort are important. Ethical leaders never blame the victim and always actively oppose the ‘”complex assumptions about sexuality, aggression, and gender that make sexual harassment not only thinkable but predictable and even normal” (Katz, Noddings, & Strike, 1999, p. 161).
In order for an educational practitioner to find her moral compass she must use reflection to “identify her feelings of contradiction regarding a situation” (Starratt, 2004, pp. 19-26). Reflection requires the ability to be present to the situation. One cannot analyze his feelings and ideas about a moral dilemma unless they are able to devote their full attention to the situation and to avoid distraction and judgment until they have gathered all relevant information (Starratt, 2004, p.89, 91). During reflection, leaders should be actively focused on the shared school goal of educating the children and should be conscious of any personal agendas that do not benefit the learners (Starratt, 2004, p.117). After identifying one’s personal moral beliefs, she must stay true to her values, beliefs and convictions in order to be an authentic leader. Starratt defines authenticity as “the human challenge of connecting oneself to a wider whole” ( Starratt, 2004, p. 70). The use of “double loop analysis” allows a leader to take immediate action and to “identify the larger or underlying issue” that plagues the entire community, making it possible for unethical actions to take place ( Starratt, 2004, pp. 134-135). Authenticity, presence, responsibility and authentic learning audits are all components of double loop analysis. This process fixes the current problem and seeks to prevent similar problems in the future; it is an important tool in finding one’s moral compass (Starratt, 2004, pp. 136-143). Ethical dilemmas occur regularly in the field of education. Even when teachers carefully consider their responsibilities, their values, and the impact of their actions, the right course of action is often unclear. For this reason, it is essential that educators regularly review new research regarding ethics.
References
Kata, M.S., Nodding, N., & Strike, K. (Ed.). (1999). Justice and caring: the search for common ground in education. New York, NY: Teachers College, Columbia University.
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