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Sticky Situation #1: Interventions That Aren’t

We have a reading recovery program for our struggling students that in my opinion leaves a
lot to be desired. Our students sit in front of the computer doing exercise after exercise with
no teacher support. Our principal believes in this program and expects me to tell parents
that adequate interventions are in place to help children succeed. Meanwhile, I see our
struggling students falling farther behind. What can I do?
Our respondents agreed that there are several things you can do here without directly
countermanding your principal. Start by thinking about what the program does do. What
features do you like about it? How could you make computer time more engaging for
students? Would a group challenge and prize be motivating? Once you’ve looked at how
you can get the most out the program, then think about what is needed to supplement.
Perhaps, while some students are at the computer, others could do mini-lessons and then
switch. Talk to your principal about how additions to the reading recovery program could
improve results. Over time, you may see that change goes in the direction you are hoping for.
As one educator wrote: “Straight out rejecting and criticizing a learning tool your boss
believes in—especially to parents— is more likely to result in you changing jobs that he or
she changing programs!”
In your conversations with parents, however, you might mention that any reading program
only goes so far—and you need them to be part of the team! Suggest ways that that families
can help at home and hands-on activities you think will help. Make a list of fun ways to
practice emergent reading skills and send it home. And, of course, as one teacher suggested,
“balance out the program with the activities you do in class. Then you know your students
are getting a well-rounded approach.”

Sticky Situation #2: An Anonymous Parent Complaint

I teach fifth grade at a private school. A parent called my principal with complaints about
my classroom demeanor. I was never told who the parent was—although the principal let out
that it was not a parent of a child in my class. The principal seemed to take this parent’s
word as gold, when I receive plenty of glowing reviews from the families of my actual
students. What do I do?
“I think the best way to have the principal see ‘the light’ is to lead with a good example at
school,” suggested one Texas school leader. “Teachers sometimes don’t share the great
things going on with their students outside their classroom walls.” Big picture: Get the word
out! Send home newsletters, share photos and display work. Find ways to showcase your
students in the larger school community. The more everyone knows about the good things
going on in your classroom, the more likely it is that your principal will take the occasional
criticism of your work with a grain of salt.

At the same time, do your best to move quickly past this incident. Try to understand your
bosses’ perspective. As a principal, it is difficult to ignore parent complaints. Humbly accept
correction in any areas where you might need to grow and gently set the record straight on
untruths. Over time, your good press will outweigh a little criticism here and there.
Sticky Situation 3: A Request to Retest

In my last evaluation meeting, my principal and I were reviewing my students’ DIBEL

scores, which have improved since the beginning of the year but aren’t up to grade level. She
reminded me that I was working in a “Blue Ribbon School” and told me I needed to “correct
the scores.” I assured her that other assessments indicated that students had indeed, made
great progress, and that the DIBELS scores would be only part of the bigger picture. My
principal then made it clear I need to go back and retest my students, making sure to “mark
the correct answers.” Help!
One of the school leaders on our panel put it quite bluntly: “You do what is right.
Always. Never compromise your integrity, even if it costs you your job. You do not want to
be working for an unethical principal anyway.”

Educators are sometimes put in situations in which they are asked to change grades or
scores. Giving in on this point can only end badly. Several educators suggested first
researching the testing requirements and then engaging the principal in a direct conversation.
Calmly ask her for clarification. “Are you saying you want me to forge the children’s
scores?” Sometimes administrators get tunnel vision and lose sight of the best interests of
kids and teachers because of outside pressure. They might just need that reminder.

Moral and Ethical Issues in Teacher Education. ERIC Digest.

This ERIC digest will address two components related to the moral and ethical
preparation of teachers. First it will consider issues related to the identification and assessment of professional
education, and then it will address foundations and specific models for the preservice training of teachers of
character.

ISSUES OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN EDUCATION

Consider Irma, the student teacher. Not only does she already have a contract from the rural district in which
she was born and raised, she is also bilingual. Irma wants to live in the community and teach in the elementary
school in which she was taught. She has a natural rapport with children and a positive personality. As the
student teaching semester progresses, Irma's Master Teacher Mrs. Baxter grows increasingly uncomfortable.
Irma is enrolled in a full set of courses during the student teaching semester and works 30-40 hours a week.
Her relationship wit her boyfriend is serious and takes additional time. Because of this busy schedule, it is
difficult for Irma and Mrs. Baxter to meet to discuss the classroom curriculum and review teaching plans.

Mrs. Baxter offers to meet with Irma before class, at 7:00a.m., but Irma has difficulty getting to school that
early because of her late night hours at work. Meetings between the two are sporadic.

Mrs. Baxter has noticed other behaviors that bother her about Irma. For example, she has observed that on the
playground Irma watches the students, but does not actively interact with them. In the computer room, Irma
searches the web, but does not help the children. She has asked Irma to prepare a theme unit and has given her
time at school to prepare. But it is now three days before the unit is to begin and there are no plans and Irma
has not discussed the unit with Mrs. Baxter. Mrs. Baxter feels that perhaps Irma is just "putting in time"
because she knows she has a job waiting and the other facets of her life--her class work, her job, her boyfriend-
-have taken precedence.

Irma's performance as a professional-in-training is inadequate. She's involved in many activities and has
interests that compete with her professional preparation. Though Irma has potential, her behavior is
"unprofessional" or even "professionally unethical." That is, if ethics is concerned with actions and practice,
with what one ought to do (Pojman, pp.1-2), them Irma's actions do not represent ethical behavior. Rather, they
violate principles of professional ethics that should be part of her professional preparation. If professional
ethics concerns, "those norms, values, and principles that should govern the professional conduct of teacher..."
(Strike & Ternasky, p. 2), Irma flunks this part of her training. her behavior violates the most basic principle of
the NEA's Code of Ethics of the Education Profession (NEA, 2003)--Irma is not foundationally committed to
her students.

A teacher's first moral obligation is to provide excellent instruction. Teachers with a high level of moral
professionalism have a deep obligation to help students learn. According to Wynne (1995), teachers with that
sense of obligation demonstrate their moral professionalism by:

* coming to work regularly and on time;

* being well informed about their student-matter;
* planning and conducting classes with care;
* regularly reviewing and updating instructional practices;
* cooperating with, or if necessary, confronting parents of underachieving students;
* cooperating with colleagues and observing school policies so the whole institution works effectively;
* tactfully, bur firmly criticizing unsatisfactory school policies and proposing constructive improvement.

Though codes of ethics may not have played a significant role in teacher preparation programs in the past,
(Strike & Ternasky, p.3), professional ethical dispositions of teachers must now be addressed as part of the
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation process (NCATE, 2002). A
program of ethical education developed for dental professionals at the University of Minnesota more than 25
years ago is finding adaptations to other professional training programs, including the training of teachers
(Rest & Narvaez, 1994). Called the Four-Component Model of Moral Maturity, the program assumes that
moral behaviors are built on a series of component processes (Bebeau, Rest, & Narvaez, 1999). Each
component is clearly defined, and educational goals, teaching strategies and assessment methods can be
derived from those definitions. The components are:

1) Moral sensitivity, the awareness of how our actions affect other people. It involved being aware of the
different lines of action and how each line of action affects the parties concerned. It involves knowing cause-
consequent chains of events in the real world, and empathy and role-taking abilities.

2) Moral judgment is based on the work of Piaget (1965) and Kohlberg (1984) and involved intuitions about
what is fair and moral. It requires adults to make moral judgments about complex human activities.

3) Moral motivation requires a prioritization of moral values over personal values, particularly in professional
settings, and,

4) Moral character requires individuals to act on their moral convictions.

Training strategies which lend themselves to enhancing moral sensitivity may include role-playing exercises to
sensitize pre-service teachers to professional dilemmas (like the one that began this essay) and related
strategies to make professionals aware that their actions affect others. In addition, moral judgment training
strategies might include the direct teaching of criteria for making professional moral judgments in cases
involving informed consent, paternalism or breaches of confidentiality. For this component, reference should
be made to the specific descriptions of prescribed actions found in professional codes of ethics.
Moral motivation training might include profession-specific service activities, and the study of professional
moral exemplars (i.e., exemplary teachers); and moral character training might include strategies for problem
solving and conflict resolution among and between children and adults (Bebeau, Rest & Narvaez, 1999).

Issues related to the moral and professional ethical education of teachers are the focus for several book-length
treatments (e.g., Tom, 1984; Sockett, 1993; Goodlad, Soder, Sirotnik, 1990; and Goodlad & McMannon,
1997). It would seem that this is developing into an area of greater interest to the profession.

UNDERSTANDING FOUNDATIONS FOR MORAL AND CHARACTER EDUCATION

For most of history, the concept of character formation--the duty of the older generation to form the character
of the young--has been a basic principle structuring moral education. For example, Aristotle (trans. 1962)
wrote about the development of excellence, stating that to become excellent at any craft, including becoming
virtuous, we have to exercise (practice) those behaviors. He stated: "We become just by the practice of just
actions, self-controlled by exercising self-control, and courageous by performing acts of courage. Hence, it is
no small matter whether one habit or another is inculcated in us from early childhood; on the contrary, it
makes...all the difference" (1962, pp. 34-35).

Clearly, the business world expects a basic understanding and practice of ethical behavior from its workers as
they enter the workforce. David Berliner and Bruce Biddle, in their book "The Manufactured Crisis" (1995),
report data collected from personnel directors of major industries. These employers were asked to list the five
most important and the five least important skills needed by their employees. The surveys suggest that the
habits and motivation of workers are more important to employers than the technical skills workers bring to
their jobs. The authors conclude, "...if schools are truly to serve the needs of business, it appears they should
concentrate...more on the values that students will need when they enter the workplace" (p. 89).

Professionals in education need objective knowledge about how children form a basic sense of right and wrong
and what schools can do to reinforce appropriate development. William Damon, author of "Greater
Expectations" (1996), provides that foundation. He describes research that children thrive on accomplishment,
not on empty self-esteem message. They do not become overburdened by reasonable pressures related to
worthwhile activities, including demanding homework. They are tough and resilient and are motivated to learn
through both extrinsic inducements (e.g., high expectations, rewards, pressure, encouragement, grades, etc.)
and intrinsic motivations. But they need the guidance that can best be provided by able, caring, concerned
adults.

Daniel Goleman, author of the highly acclaimed book "Emotional Intelligence" (1995), has documented the
effects of positive and counter-productive child-rearing practices that result in either positive or anti-social
behaviors. Many of these practices are related to teaching. Such at-risk behaviors as impulsiveness and
belligerency, stubbornness and indecisiveness, overreaction to irritation, and inability to put off gratification
are learned, and interfere with social and educational success, with what Goleman calls "mental clarity." Other
dispositions, equally learned, are much more conducive to optimism and full maturity. These include a strong
cultural work ethic, temperance, and the ability to cope with frustrations, optimism and empathy.

An appropriate classroom environment can enhance these positive dispositions in children if teachers receive
appropriate training. It is no accident that some schools are more adept at addressing the moral development of
their students. Better schools plan for virtue. The curriculum contains references to virtuous acts, and students
are recognized and rewarded for virtuous behaviors. The school building is physically cared for and
psychologically safe and teachers model exemplary character traits (Benninga, Berkowitz, Kuehn & Smith,
2003). There is good communication between teachers and parents.
Ethical dilemmas in teaching practice
Ethics draws on human dispositions, attitudes and behaviours
such as valuing, selecting and acting, and is concerned with desirable
actions associated with human relationships and responsibility
for other people (Norberg & Johansson, 2007).

An ethical dilemma is an inner conversation with the self-concerning two or

more available propositions. It is a choice between two or more
courses of action, when obstacles on each side hinder the decision
as to which course to pursue (Berlak & Berlak, 1981).
Teaching involves moral action.

Teachers are moral agents and

thus classroom interaction in particular is inevitably moral in
nature (Buzzelli & Johnston, 2001; Shapira-Lishchinsky & Orland-
Barak, 2009; Simpson & Garrison, 1995). However, according to
earlier empirical studies, teachers are often unaware of the ethical
ramifications of their own actions and overall practice (Husu & Tirri,
2007; Jackson, Boostrom, & Hansen, 1993; Tirri, 1999).
The literature on ethics in education covers a wide range of
topics and dilemmas (Campbell, 2000; Colnerud, 2006; Husu &
Tirri, 2001). Tension between caring for others (pupils, teachers)
and maintaining formality (school rules, educational standards)
stems from the tension between two ethical dimensions of the
school climate e the caring climate and the formal climate (Victor &
Cullen, 1988). The caring climate promotes attention to individual
and social needs, while the formal climate emphasises adherence to
organisational rules. Such tension can occur when a teacher has
difficulty in deciding how to best care for a pupil or how to respond

to a colleague (Colnerud, 1997; Noddings, 1992) when they act

against the rules (Tirri, 1999). According to Johnson (2003), our
interactions with pupils frequently move beyond the classroom,
and teachers must somehow strike “solidarity and authority” as
a balance between being “allies” with pupils while simultaneously
“retaining the kind of authority that will allow pupils to respect us”
(Johnson, 2002, p. 103).

The second type of ethical dilemmas that can arise is the tension
between distributive justice and school standards. Distributive justice
refers to the fairness of outcomes (Greenberg, 1995), as when
teachers use principles such as equity (outcomes allocated based on
inputs such as effort) to evaluate the justness or unjustness of the
outcome (e.g., rewards). School standards are the criteria that
schools apply for reaching decisions. When these criteria are
perceived as unfair when viewed against the outcome, an ethical
dilemma arises. In conflicts regarding fairness, teachers must
decide which principle of fairness is relevant in each situation e the
principle of equal allocation and treatment or the principle of
differential allocation and treatment. This is the case when teachers
must decide whether to focus on one needy pupil or on all pupils
equally (Colnerud, 1997).

Confidentiality versus school rules, the third type of ethical

dilemmas, arises when teachers must choose between maintaining
the trust of a confiding pupil and abiding by school rules which
obligate them to report the confided information to administration
and parents. In some cases, teachers knew something about the
pupil that even the parents did not know, and found these situations
uncomfortable, revealing worry about the pupils who had
confided in them. The teachers asked themselves whether their
role as a teacher included handling these types of situations, as
such sensitive matters are usually referred to professional therapists.
Here the dilemma of confidentiality encompassed the
teacher’s decision on their professional boundaries (Tirri, 1999).
The fourth type of ethical dilemmas is between loyalty to
colleagues and school norms (e.g., protecting pupils). Teachers
sometimes witness a colleague mistreating a pupil, or are informed
of such mistreatment that is not in line with school norms, and find
it difficult to confront the colleague (Campbell, 1996). Conversely,
devoted teachers may be accused by their colleagues as being too
soft. The latter situation reveals a paradox e while it is not
acceptable to criticise a teacher for persecuting the pupils regarding
school norms, it is acceptable to comment adversely on considerate
teacher (Colnerud, 1997).
The literature also describes the recurrence of a fifth type of
ethical dilemmas, when the educational agenda of the pupil’s family
is not consistent with the school’s educational standards. Parents view
teachers as the school’s standard bearers. Teachers face a dilemma
when their perception of the child’s best interest differs from that
of the parents (Campbell, 2000). Klaassen (2002) found that
teachers were quite critical of the manner in which parents raise
their children, and believe that parents should impose more rules
and be more consistent in their child rearing. In turn, parents
criticise teachers for lacking a clear pedagogical policy and for the
minimal communication with parents regarding the values they
teach. Klaassen (2002) found that some teachers tend to see
parents as customers of the educational system. In keeping with
the adage that the customer is always right, even when teachers are
convinced that they are right and can justify their position as being
in the best interest of pupils, they tend to adopt a reserved attitude.
These ethical dilemmas, and others not listed here, illuminate the
complexity of the teaching profession, and the uncertainty and
ambiguity that accompany the discussion of ethics in education
(Johnston, Juhász, Marken, & Ruiz, 1998). Shapiro and Stefkovich’s
(2005) multiple-paradigm approach offers four distinct lenses
through which contemporary educational dilemmas can be viewed:

the ethics of justice, the ethics of critique, the ethics of care, and the
ethics of profession. Theirmodel emphasises that practice inworking
through a multiple ethical paradigm will provide a broadened
perspective when dealing with complex and difficult ethical
dilemmas. Johnson (2002) also sees ethical dilemmas and clashing
values as an inherent part of the relation between teachers and pupils.

Ethical Dilemmas
The following ethical dilemmas are based on genuine situations faced by both veteran and novice
teachers. These dilemmas include subjects such as conflict with a co-worker and writing appropriate
IEP goals. Dilemmas such as these may be experienced by any teacher at any time. Having a
framework for handling these situations (or similar ones) in an ethical manner is necessary for
professional educators. There is no single "right answer" to the complex situations following, but
having a set of guidelines for approaching ethical dilemmas could help make these difficult decisions
a little easier to solve. We used both the NEA and CEC codes as tools to solve the following
dilemmas.
Dilemma 1: Possible Learning Disability
Mrs. Michaels has been a fourth-grade elementary education teacher for 5 years. She has just
attended a meeting about one of her students with a parent, a special education teacher, and a
special education coordinator. This student had been diagnosed years ago by a medical doctor as
having several childhood illnesses and frequent ear infections. Mrs. Michaels is concerned that this
student may also have a learning disability that affects her success in the fourth-grade classroom.
She has spoken to this student's parent a number of times, and the parent agrees that her child may
need further testing. At this meeting, the special education coordinator informs the parent that while
her child may in fact be having difficulty with school, she is not the lowest-achieving student in her
class. She tells the parent that if she wants her child to be tested her best course of action would be
to take the child to a private psychologist and pay for the testing herself. This would expedite the
process. Additionally, the administrator informed the parent that if she elected to wait to have her
daughter tested by the school district, they could not tell her when they could complete the testing
and make an eligibility decision. Furthermore, the delay in testing could be as long as one year. Mrs.
Michaels is aware of the laws and regulations supporting special education and the timelines that
are to be followed. She knows that this is wrong. What should she do? What would you do?
Dilemma 2: Assessment Conflict
Ms. Jackson is a new special education teacher finishing her first year of teaching a self-contained
class at a local high school. While in college Ms. Jackson took a class on assessment. In this class
Ms. Jackson learned all about different types of assessments including standardized, curriculum-
based, and informal assessments. Her college instructor emphasized the importance of strictly
following the administration protocol when assessing students with a standardized test. At the end of
the year Ms. Jackson's school evaluates all students who have IEPs with a set of standardized tests.
Ms. Jackson administered a standardized math test to a student and reported the results to her
principal. Her principal expressed concern over the low scores and asked Ms. Jackson specific
questions about her student's performance. As a result, the principal instructed Ms. Jackson to give
credit for questions the student might have been able to answer correctly but got wrong on the test.
Ms. Jackson knows that this will invalidate the test results. Additionally, she believes that it is
ethically wrong to alter the test results. What should she do? What would you do?
Dilemma 3: Medication
Mr. Garrison is a third-grade teacher in a local elementary school. One of the students he teaches in
his classroom is Javier. Javier was diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in
the first grade. Javier does not require the services of the special education teacher; however, at the
time he was diagnosed his doctor and parents decided to put Javier on medication to help with his
ADHD. Javier's parents are now divorced and he lives with his mother during the week; he stays with
his father on the weekends. Javier's father and doctor still believe the medication is essential to help
him succeed in school. Javier's mother and father disagree about everything. She has begun to
withhold Javier's medication. Javier's father still gives his son the medication when he stays with him
on the weekends. As a result of the inconsistent medication Javier has had difficulty paying attention
in class, completing assignments, controlling aggressive behavior, and interacting with his peers. Mr.
Garrison knows the importance of consistency in following medication protocols. What should he do
about this situation? What would you do?
Dilemma 4: Standardized Tests
Mr. Edwards and Mr. Marcus are special education teachers who work with third-, fourth-, and fifth-
grade students. Their school is preparing to take the state's annual standardized achievement tests.
This year students in Mr. Edwards's and Mr. Marcus's classes have been identified as having
difficulty in reading and are at risk for failure on the standardized test. The principal has made it very
clear that he expects the school's scores on this year's standardized test to be an improvement over
last year's scores. The day before testing is scheduled to begin, the principal has a meeting with Mr.
Edwards and Mr. Marcus. At the meeting he tells them to do whatever is necessary to ensure
positive test results. While administering the test, Mr. Edwards realizes that Mr. Marcus is reading
parts of the reading comprehension passages to the students. This violates the validity of the test
and could result in a false learning profile of his students. Mr. Edwards shares this knowledge with
Mr. Marcus, who responds by saying that he is simply doing what the principal instructed him to do.
What should Mr. Edwards do now? What would you do?
Dilemma 5: Petty Behavior
Ms. Garcia and Ms. Ming are both sixth-grade English teachers. Ms. Garcia, a new teacher at the
school, has additional certification in gifted education. Ms. Ming has been a certified English teacher
for a number of years. Ms. Ming has been overheard making negative comments about Ms. Garcia's
teaching ability and about Ms. Garcia personally in the faculty lounge. Mr. Daniels, the sixth-grade
history teacher, has heard Ms. Ming making negative comments about Ms. Garcia on more than one
occasion and he knows that these comments are false. He also knows that Ms. Ming has been
angry that Ms. Garcia was asked to teach the advanced English class. This is a class Ms. Ming had
expressed a desire to teach. He believes this contributes to her negativity toward Ms. Garcia. What
should he do? What would you do?
Dilemma 6: Religion
Mr. Gregory and Ms. Samuels are both eighth-grade science teachers. Ms. Samuels has a strong
command of the science curriculum, and she is also a strong believer in creationism. While Mr.
Gregory and Ms. Samuels work together at their weekly planning meeting, Ms. Samuels tells Mr.
Gregory that she does not feel comfortable with, nor will she teach her class about topics related to
evolution, the subject for the coming week's lessons. She goes on to explain that presenting
students with information about evolution will violate her religious beliefs. Mr. Gregory knows that the
unit on evolution is a required part of the curriculum. He also knows the importance of teaching
students to evaluate different types of information and points of view. What should he do? "What
would you do?
Solutions to Dilemmas
How might a professional or state organization's code of ethics guide this decision making? As
stated earlier, there is no one "right answer" to the complex situations teachers face each day, but
grounding guidelines such as NEA's or CEC's Codes of Ethics provide teachers with a problem-
solving framework. The principles presented below were drawn from NEA's and CEC's codes as the
closest indicators related to the issues; they can be used as a starting point basis for solving each
dilemma.
Dilemma 1: Possible Learning Disability
Mrs. Michaels just faced a very tough meeting with her special education coordinator, and she is not
sure what to do. What should Mrs. Michaels do? Mrs. Michaels could turn to the CEC Code of Ethics
for guidance. This code states that special educators should "promote and maintain a high level of
competence and integrity in practicing their profession" and special educators "do not condone or
participate in unethical or illegal acts, nor violate professional standards adopted by the CEC Board
of Directors" (CEC, 2003, p. 1). According to this statement, Mrs. Michaels might be compromising
her integrity if she knowingly violates the laws supporting special education and a student's rights to
access to those services. Mrs. Michaels could decide that not following an appropriate timeline for
testing would be unethical. She may therefore decide to follow the referral procedures that are in
place at her school. Furthermore, she may find it helpful and productive to collaborate with the
special education coordinator to follow an appropriate timeline for providing the testing this student
requires. This could include making a copy of the district's guidelines and providing it to the school's
child study team.
Dilemma 2: Assessment Conflict
Ms. Jackson has been faced with a difficult situation. To solve her dilemma. Ms. Jackson could use
the NEA's Code of Ethics Principle I: Commitment to the Student. Indicator 3 reads "shall not
deliberately suppress or distort subject matter relevant to student's progress" (NEA, 1975). If Ms.
Jackson discards or changes students' test results, she is not following this code. Applying this
indicator in the ethical code may prompt Ms. Jackson not to change the test results, because doing
so would distort information relevant to this student's progress. Instead, Ms. Jackson might retest the
student under different conditions to ascertain whether the student actually knows the content.
Although it would be difficult, Ms. Jackson may also decide to share the NEA's code with her
principal to explain her decision not to automatically discard the test results. Ms. Jackson may also
discuss test-administering strategies with her principal in order to avoid this conflict in the future.
Dilemma 3: Medication
Mr. Garrison is faced with a tough situation, because Javier's mother and father don't agree. What
should Mr. Garrison do? Mr. Garrison's actions could be influenced by NEA's Code of Ethics
Principle I: Commitment to the Student. Indicator 4 advises that educators "shall make reasonable
effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning or to health and safety" (NEA, 1975).
With protection from harm as a guideline, Mr. Garrison could talk to Javier's mother and explain that
he is having trouble paying attention in class and completing assignments. He could also attempt to
explain to Javier's mother that when Javier is taking his medication he is much more cooperative and
successful in school. Additionally, Mr. Garrison should document the issues he has observed in
class, including class assignments and behavioral issues, in order to have specific information to
provide to Javier's parents that supports his belief that the medication has been academically helpful
to Javier.
Dilemma 4: Standardized Tests
Mr. Edwards is in a difficult situation with Mr. Marcus, because technically Mr. Marcus is doing what
the principal has implied he should do. The CEC Code of Ethics states that, "Special education
professionals work within the standards and policies of their profession" (CEC, 2003, p. 1). A literal
application of this code would indicate that Mr. Marcus should follow the testing protocol and refrain
from reading passages to his students. Mr. Edwards could work collaboran'vely with Mr. Marcus to
review the standardized testing guidelines for the state tests and seek consultation from testing
experts in the district.
Dilemma 5: Petty Behavior
Mr. Daniels is in a very difficult situation, knowing that Ms. Ming is making false statements about
Ms. Garcia. What should he do? According to NEA's Code of Ethics under Principle II: Commitment
to the Profession, Indicator Seven states that educators "shall not knowingly make false or malicious
statements about a colleague" (NEA, 1975). Mr. Daniels should talk to Ms. Ming about his interest in
maintaining positive professional relationships with all the members of the school team. He might
point out the numerous strengths of all the team members, the benefits of teamwork and
collaboration, and the usefulness of the NEA Code of Ethics. Depending on his willingness to
intervene, he might offer to help the two teachers find common ground, starting with students, school
initiatives, or parent and community projects. Dilemma 6: Religion
Mr. Gregory is faced with a difficult dilemma, knowing that Ms. Samuels is not going to teach a
required part of the curriculum. According to the NEA's Code of Ethics under Principle I:
Commitment to the Student, Ms. Samuels is violating two of the indicators (numbers 2 and 3).
Indicator 3 informs educators that they "shall not deliberately suppress or distort subject matter
relevant to student's progress"; indicator 2 states that teachers "shall not unreasonably deny the
student's access to varying points of view" (NEA, 1975). Mr. Gregory should talk to Ms. Samuels
about the importance of covering the required curriculum. Additionally, he could show her the NEA's
Code of Ethics and discuss with her the ways in which she could maintain her personal beliefs
without violating the district's curriculum or her professional code of conduct. This might include
collaboratively determining which portions of the curriculum they are best suited to teach and co-
teaching portions of the unit. Co-teaching is an effective teaching method that allows teachers to
pool their resources, teaching strengths, and ideas while addressing all areas of the required
curriculum.
Conclusions
Teachers frequently encounter these types of ethical dilemmas in the classroom and have to take
action in situations where all the facts might not be known. Even though there might not be a
definitive right or wrong answer to most dilemmas, teachers can look beyond the short term and
consider long-range consequences of their actions, including the impact on their own identities as
professionals. Using a code of ethics can help teachers make informed decisions based on the
code's principles. Unethical acts can ruin the trust and respect among teachers, students, and
others, and in extreme circumstances result in teachers losing their teaching positions and
professional licensure. Resolving common ethical dilemmas requires forethought and insight.
Analyzing case studies of similar ethical dilemmas may help teachers make the "right decision" when
faced with similar situations.
What is considered ethical often comes down to determining what is in the best interest of the
student.
There is no one "right answer" to the complex situations teachers face each day, but grounding
guidelines such as NEA's or CEC's Codes of Ethics provide teachers with a problem-solving
framework.
Using a code of ethics can help teachers make informed decisions based on the code's principles.

Read more at
http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/1141680/teachers_ethical_dilemmas_what_would_you_do/
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