Ethics in Education

The world of teaching has changed dramatically during the millennium, as have countless professions and social practices. There is greater recognized diversity throughout our society and greater acceptance of that diversity, but also greater pushback from society. Our personal lives are readily available through technological mediums like social media. Therefore, a teacher’s ability to retain a private life is no more an extended reality. Is it realistic for a teacher to be susceptible to the expectations of their job at all times, especially considering the amount of consumption that the work of the teacher already takes from home life? We are bound to the Code of Professional Conduct which states that the “teacher acts in manner which maintains the honor and dignity of the profession,” and “the teacher does not engage in activities which adversely affect the quality of the teacher’s professional service” (Alberta Teachers’ Association, 2018, IM-4E).  How do we define the parameters and subjectivity of honor and dignity; who is to say what does and does not affect the quality of a teacher’s “professional service”? In this paper, we hope to explore this limiting concept in a way that exercises our personal rights, and challenges, but also our moral and ethical understanding of our responsibilities as future teachers.

The Code of Professional Conduct does not explicitly address how teachers must act outside of schools. They must use their discretion and understand the potential drawbacks of having their social life aired and the public. However, “As education or public leader, we are in the people business, and ethics is embedded in that” (EDUC 525, Ethics Handout, p. 7). One should consider the context of how others view teachers; the subjective lens that each parent, stakeholder, administrator or community member will have contains different viewpoints and perceptions of what it means to conduct oneself as a teacher properly. While indeed it is impossible to satisfy everyone in this manner, it is also safe to say that there are certain expectations society has for teachers which one has to conduct themselves to, aside from the law. For instance, the way society would view a teacher who owns an Etsy to sell crafts is not as heavily judged as a teacher who may bikini model on the side. And while there are certain acts in which it is a clear ethical and lawful breach, there are other ways in which teachers can conduct themselves in a manner that may be up for debate. “A related principle is the obligation of responsible care, where professionalism entails doing good and minimizing harm. This, in turn, is related to justice, regarding fairness, and respect for human rights. Breaches of these ethical principles could be regarded as breaches of a professional’s moral commitment to clients, society, and the profession.” (Forbes, 2017, p. 178).

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Social media has created a more significant impact on how information is spread. Once something is posted on the internet, it will remain there even long after the original post is deleted. As such, social media allows “Ethical use of social media means adhering to professional standards, even outside of work contexts. Social media involves public expression; therefore standards apply regardless of whether an individual is working at the time of posting” (Forbes, 2017, p.177-178). This can include acts which may not be favourable for a teacher to be seen doing in the eyes of parents or stakeholders such as drinking excessively, partying or perhaps posting material that isn’t politically-correct. Another aspect to consider is Section 16.2(b) of the School act in which parents have “a responsibility to contribute to a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment [which includes] speaking respectfully [and] positively . . . to and about school staff” (October 11, 2018, Class#10 Slide 80-81). In this, it is also expected from parents of students to act in a professional manner, and it is implied not to speak ill of teachers who may extend to the lives those teachers have outside of school. With this in consideration, the parents in some form have a lawful and ethical obligation to how they speak about teachers even whilst they may have their own ethical values that are shaped by “religion, society, organizations, family and personal experience” (October 23, 2018, Class #12 Slide 34).

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Through much discussion and reflection, one thing remains the same, and it is our dedication to this profession. Despite our hesitations and inquisition, we have willingly chosen to enter a profession where we have consented to be role models. When one considers how “teaching inevitably involves the exercise of authority and power” (Bullough, 2011, p.22), we are giving intentional consent by entering this authority position, and knowingly take a role of leadership. As noted by Bullough (2011) “teaching is essentially and fundamentally a moral enterprise...to teach...is to be embedded in a world of uncertainty and of hard choices, where what a teacher does and how he or she thinks is morally laden” (p.27). It would be irresponsible of us to disregard societal and interpersonal expectations, because this profession in itself involves areas of ethical uncertainty and impasse. Public perception of teachers must coincide with the ethical principles which call on us to “habitually think and behave in a manner consistent with what is right, good and virtuous and to avoid the opposite” (EDUC 525, n.d., p.4). That poses the question: What is the opposite of our moral expectations, and how do we avoid violating these expectations? To act in ways not explicitly labelled as offensive or risky in the official document of the Code of Conduct for teachers is unproductive and unrealistic.

 

There will be circumstances that warrant different ways to react. We must contemplate, with careful consideration, ways in which we present ourselves, and do those actions/attitudes/reactions qualify us as competent role models for children now and in the future. We might ask ourselves, what traits and values should we, and could we, display to those whom we mentor? Moreover, what are the implications for students who have already been influenced by us, either by our conscious or subconscious acts and behaviors? These are the questions that further the ethical discourse of this moral quandary personally for those considered role models. 

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It is essential to remember that “ethics and values are not the same” (Donlevy & Walker, in EDUC 525, n.d., p.11); therefore, we need to be cognizant of both. Similar to when one thinks of celebrities as role models for children, teachers can be crafted the same way. Unfortunately, we do not have an official team behind us working to avoid scandal. Thus, it is our job to be our own publicist, brand manager, and advocate. The persona we share with our students is the result of the person we are in our essential core, or the result crafting a persona for the public to see. In addition, when we consider postmodernist ethics, which does not leave it up to the individual’s society to determine the specific ethics or morality of said individual, but instead calls upon the person to act humanely with care (Bauman, in EDUC 525, n.d., p.25), we wonder if this is the answer. Perhaps instead of investing in a stressful overview of what we are losing to become teachers, the solution is to take a positive outlook towards being mindful and respectful? Be mindful of how you behave in the classroom, of how you present yourself, your relationship contexts, your decisions of what is right and wrong, and be constantly aware of your data footprint. Perhaps if we safeguard ourselves as teachers, we can model to our students a way to live happily.  

 

 

 

References

Alberta Teachers’ Association. Code of Professional Conduct. (2004). Retrieved from
https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/Teachers-as-Professionals/IM-4E%20Code%20of%20Professional%20Conduct.pdf

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Bauman, Z. (1993). Postmodern ethics. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

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Bullough Jr., R. V. (2011). Ethical and moral matters in teaching and teacher education. 
Teaching and Teacher Education, 27. Pp. 21-28. Retrieved from http://media.journals.elsevier.com/content/files/s0742051x10001587-04220948.pdf

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Donlevy, J.K., Walker, K.W. (2010). Working through ethics in education: Two plays and
ethical analysis. Sense Publications, Netherlands. In EDUC 525. (n.d). Ethics Handout.

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Forbes, D. (2017). Professional Online Presence and Learning Networks: Educating for 
Ethical Use of Social Media. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(7), 175–190. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1163210&site=ehost-live