TOPIC : ETHICAL ISSUES AMONG TEACHERS

TEACHER PUPIL

Basically, ethical issue is a problem or situation that requires a person or

organization to choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as right (ethical)
or wrong (unethical). Todays teachers - prospective, new and veteran - face
growing ethical challenges. The ethical issues that is faced by teachers may range
from problems or dilemma relating to students, parents and also colleague. They
encounter issues such as situations in which pupils are being discussed
inappropriately, and irresponsible colleague. When the teachers sense of proper
action is constrained by complex factors in educational practice and decisions are
made and carried out contrary to the right course, critical incidents which involve
ethical conflict and moral distress result. Hence, educational leaders can no longer
afford to focus on academic currula only, and may have to assume responsibility for
empowering teachers to negotiate the diverse values in their schools. (Hutsu & Tirri,
2007).

The most frequently discussed ethical issues may be relating to teacher -

pupil interaction. An example is critical incidents where teachers faces the problem
whether on giving second chances to students or not which may go against the
school rules. An example of this situation is shown below;

In the other class, there was a boy named Shuki who broke all the rules. He
had dozens of police records. Due to his behaviour, his homeroom teacher
refused to have him in her class any longer. Shuki was about to be expelled
from school The principal asked me time and again to take Shuki into my
class, pleading with me that I was Shukis last chance. I finally agreed. Shuki
transferred to my class and promised that he would behave properly.
Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. A month passed and I went to
see him at his at his workplace. I talked to him. I did not realise at the time
how much this talk meant to him. He ended up receiving the best recruit
award at the end of his basic training in the army I am always willing to
 give a second chance and I believe in every pupil (Ruth, female, 55 years old,
homeroom teacher in high school).

Extracted from : Shapira-Lishchinsky, O., Teachers critical incidents: Ethical

dilemmas in teaching practice, Teaching and Teacher Education (2010),
doi:10.1016/j.tate.2010.11.003

According to school rules, Shuki should have been expelled from the school.
However, Ruth gave him a second chance and thus probably saved him from being a
criminal. Ruth responded to this ethical dilemma with a strong conviction that she
would do whatever she could in order help her pupil. In my opinion, I agree with
Ruths decision in giving him a second chance. When dealing with this type of issues
teachers must be keen-eyed in observing whether the student deserve a second
chance or not. Some may not be entirely sincere after given a second chance
however, if a truly sincere student is given a second chance, the teacher may
change the students entire future into a brighter one. In real life situation, This
shows that how an ethical issue or dilemma faced by a teacher and how a single
decision could change a student way of life. Teachers play an important role in
guiding students along their path of growing up.

However, teachers should not always give second chances to students. As

mentioned earlier, teachers must be keen-eyed in observing whether the student
deserve a second chance or not. A situation of related matter is shown below;

I had a pupil that I liked very much, but he was a big troublemaker at
school He mixed in with a group of problematic kids who were doing drugs.
The decision to let him stay at school hurt the other pupils to such an extent
that on the day of the annual trip, we had to call the police because we had
found drugs in several knapsacks. It turned out that he was a drug dealer
who looked like a good kid. I know if I had expelled him from school a year
earlier and found for him a smaller and more supportive setting, he might not
have deteriorated and woulf certainly not have caused harm to others. I kept
him at school out of pity. I know that today, if I came across by expressing
emotional involvement and disappointment at his behaviour, and resolving
 that in the future, he would fight for what he thought was fair and would
follow his personal values.

Extracted from : Shapira-Lishchinsky, O., Teachers critical incidents: Ethical

dilemmas in teaching practice, Teaching and Teacher Education (2010),
doi:10.1016/j.tate.2010.11.003

According to school rules, the pupil should also have been expelled. However due to
the teachers emotional involvement and his/her inability to see on whether the pupil
deserved to be given second chance or not, it has caused deterioration towards the
pupil himself and also caused harm towards others. In my point of view, when
dealing with ethical issues such as this, teachers should be more observant towards
the pupils and more strict when it comes to decision making by not letting personal
feelings such as pity to interfere with their decision making. Teachers should try to
see the students for what they are instead of finding a reason to give them second
chances. This is because giving second chances may not always be the best way as
it can also cause a situation to be more complicated and worst.

Another example includes the ethical dilemma of teachers whether they

should be more flexible towards their pupil or not. This type of ethical issue or
dilemma may be caused by the tension between caring for the pupils and school
rules. Below are an example of situation relating to this matter;

Josef was an excellent pupil. During the period of the pre-matriculation

exams, he was also studying for the psychometric exams to get into medical
school. He was under a lot of pressure. The day before the exam in Arabic, he
asked if he could do the testat a later date. I told him that there was no VIP
treatment in the exams; the date of the exam had been set a month earlier
and he should have been prepared. During the exam, he was caught trying to
copy from a note and his exam was disqualified. He lost a whole year of
university because of that one missing test even though he got a high mark in
the psychometric exams. I was a little disappointed in myself. I may have
made a rash decision without thinking about the outcome. I regret my lack of
flexibility. Maybe I should have postponed the exam for him and for a few
 other pupils for whom the date of the exam was inconvenient (Shai, male, 40
years old, coordinator in high school).

Extracted from : Shapira-Lishchinsky, O., Teachers critical incidents: Ethical

dilemmas in teaching practice, Teaching and Teacher Education (2010),
doi:10.1016/j.tate.2010.11.003

In this situation, I believe that teachers should be more flexible. This case should
have been treated with more sensitivity and flexibility, even though it meant bending
the school rules. The teacher should have been able to be more flexible towards the
student as the rules is not absolute and it involves the students future. Teachers
should know when to be strict about rules and when to be flexible according to the
appropriate situation. From here, it can be seen on how an ethical issue faced by
teachers could affect a student entire future. Thus, teachers should be smart in
decision making. They should be able to think far ahead and mature in order to get
the best result of any decision made regarding a student future based on the ethical
issue faced.