Ethics and Matters Mary Anne MC Danel de Garca

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Mary Anne Mc Danel de Garcia

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Mary Anne Mc Danel de Garcia
ETHICS MATTERS
An Ethics Manual for Pre-service Teachers
Mary Anne Mc Danel de Garca
Mary Anne Mc Danel de Garcia is presently Academic
Dean at the Institucin Universitaria Colombo Americana,
UNICA, where she teaches Professional Ethics, Education
Administration and British Literature.
She holds a BA degree in English from the University
of Saint Francis and has special training in Principal
Leadership, Strategic Planning and ECIS accreditation
for which she has served as a visiting team member.
She also served as president of The Asociacin Andina
de Colegios de Bachillerato Internacional. She has 26
years of experience as an IB teacher and has served as
guidance and career counselor, high school and middle
school principal and school director.
Falcultad de Educacin
Programa de Licenciatura en Educacin Bilinge Espaol - Ingles
Bogot D.C.
2014
Primera edicin: mayo de 2014
Institucin Universitaria Colombo Americana
Direccin de Comunicaciones y Publicaciones
Calle 19 N. 2A - 49 Segundo Piso
Telfono: 2811777 Ext: 1291
dir.comunicaciones@unica.edu.co
www.unica.edu.co
ISBN: 978-958-58439-0-5

Revisin de estilo
Josephine Taylor
Diseo y diagramacin
Sahia Franco Piraquive
Ilustracin
Jenny Paola Zamora G.
Prohibida la reproduccin parcial o total de esta obra sin
autorizacin de la Institucin Universitaria Colombo Americana NICA.
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Ethics Matters Mary Anne Mc Danel de Garcia
This manual is dedicated to the many wonderful teachers who
taught me, worked with me, worked under my direction, and
befriended me. Their integrity, dedication to their students, and
professionalism were an inspiration and an example of the moral
agency that an educator should exemplify.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Forward by Fr. Joseph Jablonski, M.S.H
Part 1 Introduction
Desirable Outcomes for an Ethics Course for Teachers
Using Case Histories
Guidelines for Case Analysis
Methodology for Using Case Histories
Part 2 Case Histories
Case 1. Out of Control
Case 2. Worried Mother
Case 3. Math Monster
Case 4. Business is Business
Case 5. Cultural Clash
Case 6. Musical Mishap
Case 7. Money Matters
Case 8. Bitter Borrowing
Case 9. Dangerous Addiction
Case 10. Vacation Temptation
Case 11. Cradle Robber
Case 12. Stigmatized
Case 13. Tipsy Teacher
Case 14. Orders from the Boss
Case 15. Professional Jealousy
Case 16. Strike
Case 17. Game Over
Case 18. Unhealthy Convenience
Case 19. Tutoring Troubles
Case 20. Booming Business
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Case 21. Soft Supervisor
Case 22. Vicious Tongues
Case 23. Wrong Choice
Part 3 Questions, Commentaries and Lessons
Case 1. Out of Control
Case 2. Worried Mother
Case 3. Math Monster
Case 4. Business is Business
Case 5. Cultural Clash
Case 6. Music Mishap
Case 7. Money Matters
Case 8. Bitter Borrowing
Case 9. Dangerous Addiction
Case 10. Vacation Temptation
Case 11. Cradle Robber
Case 12. Stigmatized
Case 13. Tipsy Teacher
Case 14. Orders from the Boss
Case 15. Professional Jealousy
Case 16. Strike
Case 17. Game Over
Case 18. Unhealthy Convenience
Case 19. Tutoring Troubles
Case 20. Booming Business
Case 21. Soft Supervisor
Case 22. Vicious Tongues
Case 23. Wrong Choice
Appendix A Color Rubric for case analysis
Suggested Reading and Viewing
Bibliography

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For the challenge and the experience gathered during this project I am
grateful to the following people:
Father Joseph Jobansky, M.S.C., teacher, pastor and great humanitarian,
for his insightful words in the forward of this manual.
Dr. Augusto Franco, PhD, MA, MA, teacher, school founder, and director,
whose lifelong dedication to the youth of this country have made him
a pillar of Colombian education, and Juliana Roth Ordonez, PhD, MA,
teacher, language coordinator and friend, whose dedication to the
teaching of the English Language has enriched the lives of thousands of
young people, for their generous evaluations of this document.
Mara Lucia Casas Pardo, MA, Founder and President, Institucin
Universitaria Colombo Americana UNICA; Alejandra Cern,c PhD,
Director of Research, UNICA; Claudia Caicedo, Director of Publications
and Communications, UNICA; Mnica Rodriguez Bonce, cPhD, Carlo
Granados, MA for the opportunity and encouragement.
Alejandro Rativa, Assistant Researcher, for his technical assistance and
support throughout the action research process.
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FORWARD
Having been employed in several educational institutions at the primary
and secondary levels as a Chaplain, I found this manual to be very
insightful and helpful for those who are either preparing to teach or are
teaching and want to reinforce their skills. It reminded me of the more
classical paradigm of master and disciples of the ancient philosophers
where the disciples learned not only concepts, ideas and skills that were
formally taught, but also learned how to live by observing the master
in his or her life. This manual reminds teachers that their example may
be of more value than all of the other information they transmit. The
case studies cover a wide range of experiences, which albeit fctitious,
refect the challenges faced in education today. The different suggested
methodologies for handling the case histories offer to keep the treatment
of complicated situations very lively. The lessons learned are invaluable
and will undoubtedly help teachers in the daily challenge to teach by their
example.
Fr. Joseph Jablonski, M.S.C
INTRODUCTION
Moral education, as it is broadly conceived, includes both what teachers as
ethical exemplars model in the course of their daily practice and what moral
lessons they teach directly either through the formal curriculum or the informal
dynamics of classroom, and social life.
Elizabeth Campbell (2003)
We are living in an age in which pat answers learned in school are useless.
Our knowledge of the world is growing fast. Our technology is growing faster.
My greatest fear in all this is that our capacity for technological growth has far
outstripped our capacity for moral and psychological growth.
Fr. Clarence Joseph Rivers (1970)
The quote above was written in 1970 with the foresight of prophecy. Fr.
Rivers, Afro-American liturgist and composer, goes on to say, We have not
become as morally perfect as we need to be to satisfy the demands of the
times. The present and the future call us to an even greater moral perfection
(p. 72). This greater moral perfection necessarily falls upon the shoulders of
the individual in the teaching profession who John Dewy (1897) refers to as
a social servant set apart for the maintenance of proper social order and the
securing of the right social growth. Along with the age of Information Technology
have come some very worrisome phenomena which all teachers in particular
must deal with. To name some of the most obvious: the cyber bullying our
students are subjected to; unethical and badly intentioned information which
is easily accessed and designed to negatively infuence the conduct of the
vulnerable; illegal disregard for the rights of authorship, the spread of inaccurate
information, and so forth. Also the emphasis on human rights, wonderful and
necessary as they are, in some cases has led to exaggerated interpretation
in education, to the extreme that teachers must remain distant and seemingly
uncaring, or only concerned with academic outcomes. The bottom line is, as
it has been throughout history, societys children need teachers whose moral/
ethical conduct goes beyond the academic aspects of education. Teachers
must accept their role as the moral agent that Elizabeth Campbell (2007) so
rightfully advocates. Campbell stresses that ethics is not a matter of private
choice or personal satisfaction. She cites Reitz (1998) on the matter, When
morality becomes a totally private affair, a personal sense of right or wrong
diminishes to the point of no return. If I am responsible only to myself nothing
can be wrong (p.29). However drastic this may sound, there does seem to
be a growing tendency, with the breakdown of traditional values, to focus the
concept of what is OK and what is not OK on a subjective point of view with
great emphasis on what is best for me.
Marshall Gregory (2009) expresses his concern for the increasing focus
on curriculum rather than pedagogy. He feels that many teachers are more
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concerned about their subject and the results their students might obtain on
college entrance exams or about being in confict with students and parents
than they are about conducting themselves in an ethical manner. While it is
right to be concerned with academic results and our dignity, we should consider
more seriously our students criteria for evaluating a teacher. He explains that
students do not judge teachers exclusively on their expertise in a particular
subject, To students, evaluation of likability and respect rests primarily on
fve criteria: their views of the teachers trustworthiness; their views of the
teachers competence; their views of the teachers depth of commitment to
the importance or value of the skills and ideas being taught; their views of the
teachers dedication not just to teaching as a profession but to students as
persons; and their views of the teachers commitment to fairness. These fve
criteria are applied to the teacher not as an exemplar of a particular pedagogical
method or as the possessor of a particular level of professional expertise but
as a human being, as a moral agent. ..To students, we are what we do (p.
9). In another document Gregory comments on students ethical judgment of
teachers:
Less than fve minutes after meeting a new teacher, students do what we all
do less than fve minutes after meeting any new person, namely run rapidly
through a checklist of ethical criteria as a way of assessing the new person
and deciding whether we will want to spend time in his or her company.
The items in our checklist tend to pop up in our minds as questions: Is this
person honest -- is he or she going to tell me the truth? Is this person fair
is he or she going to treat me justly? Is this person generousis he or she
going to share materials, ideas or companionship with me? Is this person
compassionate and kindis he or she going to help me if I am in trouble?
Is this a person of self-control or self-indulgence is he or she capable of
keeping a focus on me and my interests alongside a focus on his or her
own interests? (Gregory, 2010, p. 36)

Campbells idea of the moral agent that a teacher should be entails, the
concept of teachers ethical knowledge as related to their awareness and
articulation of the moral/ethical dimensions of their practice and behavior
(2003, pp. 4-5). The teacher today must conduct him or herself according to
a defned set of principles and the understanding that these are abstract and
subjected to variations and uncertainties. Along with the commonly identifed
qualities of fairness, respect, honesty, responsibility etc., we must include
accountability. If we consider the NEA code of Ethics and the Connecticut Code
for Teachers, the points included in these two Codes coincide with many of the
principles of the ethical framework including responsibilities and unacceptable
conduct consigned in resolution #2343 of the Secretary of Education of Bogot
(2002) and articles 40, 41, 42,43 of decree 1278 (2002). We cannot deny
that this accountability extends to such aspects as students being involved
in our actions, students being placed at risk, a negative impact on learning,
and potential harm to the reputation of a person, community, institution, or to
the profession itself. We must also consider what type of action will require
consequences that a teacher may be subjected to for engaging in unethical
action.
The daily occurrences that teachers must confront often challenge and
negatively affect their moral/ethical judgment and their effcacy as a moral
agent. Anyone with a few years of teaching experience knows that there is no
such thing as a normal day in a school. Situations may involve conficts with
students, parents, colleagues, school administrators, policies, controversial
issues, and opinions in the classroom, as well as events beyond the classroom
and school. Often the mere observation of an unethical act done by a colleague
or line manager places a teacher in a moral dilemma. As Campbell (2003)
points out, there is no amount of formal preparation that can ready a pre-
service teacher (or a veteran for that matter) for some of the situations they
will face. Whenever you think you can truthfully say, Now Ive seen it all, get
ready for a surprise. For the pre-service teacher it is urgent that an effort be
made to develop awareness of the possibilities, and the habit of considering
not just the immediate circumstances but also the potential of the extended
consequences of our acts and decisions, both in and out of the classroom.
Desirable Outcomes for an Ethics Course for Teachers
What outcomes should we hope for in a liberal education for the teachers
we are working with or forming? For a very comprehensive description of that
for which we should aspire, Gregory (1990) offers the following:
One of the main goals of liberal education, perhaps the main goal, is to
help students replace such wounding forms of individuality as smugness,
provincialism; intolerance, close-mindedness, and selfshness with the
possibilities for living that carry them beyond individuality without forcing
them to cease being individuals. ..With regard to character, most of
us would agree that liberally educated students should be committed to
analyzing issues from moral not just instrumentalist perspectives. They
should be committed to solving problems by reason, not force; they should
respect differences of belief and opinion without falling into the quicksand
of relativism; they should be able to construct humane criticism of the
practices and values of their professions; they should not only value personal
integrity but also possess the moral courage to maintain their integrity
against pressure from their peers and the seductions of a materialistic
society; and, fnally, they should accept some degree of responsibility for
the world around them and the condition in which it is passed on to future
generations. (Gregory, 1990, p. 5-21)
It is not easy to defne just what the term moral/ethical refers to, but in the
broadest sense it has to do with doing what is correct according to our sense
of what is right and what is wrong. However it is no easy matter to defne what
is right or wrong in terms of moral/ethical correctness, as this will depend on
a variety of factors which must be considered and these often are in confict.
Carter (2011) lists six such factors that may make a difference when analyzing
a situation. The factor of justice evaluates the equal distribution of benefts that
may result from an action or actions to the persons involved. Decision making
often takes into account the fundamental rights of a person regarding respect
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and the manner in which he/she is treated. Another factor to be considered
involves the basic virtues such as integrity, honesty trust etc. The utilitarian
aspect involves evaluating which conduct will produce more beneft than harm.
What will produce the common good for the most people must be considered,
and fnally, social relativism refers to the variation in the values of different
cultures which create discrepancies in the basis for judgment.
In order to somehow face the challenge of preparing teachers who accept
their moral/ethical agency in our changing world, those engaged in this endeavor
might well fnd the outcomes identifed by David Ozar (2001) of great value.
He identifes the following based upon four categories listed by James Rest
(1984): Awareness, Reasoning/Refective Skills, Motivation/Conviction,
and Implementation. In this document we will interpret these categories in
the context of preparing pre-service teachers to begin their career, or in a
refective process for practicing teachers.
Awareness - This entails the persons sensitivity to and perception of what is
morally/ethically at stake in a situation.
Pre-service teachers must frst be made aware of their own values and
develop the ability to defend them if challenged or if confronted with a situation
that puts them in doubt. They must know and embrace the values and norms
of the profession and those of the institution where they might be employed,
and they must understand the reasons for these values and norms. To this
end it is very enriching for students to engage in discussion concerning real or
hypothetical situations where opinions may (and will) differ, and the points of
view of the different parties affected by a situation must be considered. This
allows for the development of respect and tolerance for contrary opinions.
It also allows for participants in discussion to speculate on the extended
consequences of a situation. For that reason an Ethics course should include
ample time for students to debate and exchange their ideas concerning
unethical and sometimes controversial situations.
To develop awareness during an Ethics course, it is necessary that students
practice the articulation of their own values. This will allow them to apply this
skill in typical private, professional, and social situations. Students already
have a well-established set of criteria to which they adhere, but generally they
(as do most of us) prefer to remain quiet about their convictions rather than
risk a controversy(Ozar, 2001).
Reasoning/Refection - These skills lead to judgments about what is morally/
ethically at stake and ought to be done in a situation based upon analysis of
the data available, and the consideration of possible consequences that may
result in a wider context.
We are often caught by surprise by the extended consequences of an
occurrence and exclaim, Oh, I never thought of that! This is perfectly normal.
Following the indications of Ozar, the reasoning/refection process has three
requirements, particularly if there will be an exchange of points of view with
another person. The process must be logical (leaving no steps out and leading
to a conclusion based on clearly defned reasons and refection). The process
must be clear (consistent and leaving no room for misinterpretation). Finally
the process must be careful (reasons are well explained, objections are taken
into account and answered, principles, values, and ideals are considered). In
developing these skills it would be benefcial that students become familiar
with the conceptual tools of Piaget, Kohlberg, Dewey, and Newman among
others. The established codes of conduct for teachers, such as the NEA code
and those of Colombia or other states or countries, as well as the teachers
handbooks that most schools will provide are very useful tools to create
awareness. Teachers of Ethics courses will probably want to choose the
readings they most value and those that are most akin to their students reality.
Some suggested readings are listed on page 71 of this manual.
Motivation/Conviction - This refers to a persons conscious affrmation of
and pattern of living habitually according to certain values/principles/ideals
that lead to actions in accordance with his or her moral/ethical judgments.
The actions and discourse, body language included, of a person indicate
his or her motivation/conviction. But, as Ozar points out, the faculty member
does not have access to how the students behave outside the classroom.
Therefore this area is the most diffcult to assess. There is no guarantee
that the students (or practicing teachers for that matter) will be motivated to
act in a moral/ethical fashion. We can, however, hope that if they observe
moral/ethical conduct in faculty members and fellow students or teachers, an
appreciation for the embodiment of this conduct will not only develop but also
be imitated. This would result in a certain level of motivation to act in the same
manner and the conviction to put doubt aside when confronted with the need
to implement a moral/ethical course of action.
Implementation - This is the practical and emotional strength to take action
when a person has judged that it is necessary and is motivated to do.
Ozar tells us that students who are preparing for a particular social role,
such as teaching, should be able to identify both emotional and practical
hindrances they might encounter in the implementation of their moral/ethical
judgments in problematic situations. An example of this might be the case of a
teacher who knows of dangerous or unethical conduct in a colleague and feels
uncomfortable about informing the proper line of management, thus preferring
not to get involved.
Knowing ones limits in facing a particular situation is also of great
importance. Therefore, another desired outcome for those of the teaching
profession is to be able to recognize when ones own skills are not suffcient
to provide adequate solutions or advice to others. The teacher should then
abstain from offering a personal opinion and proceed to refer involved parties
to available resources or professionals that are more prepared to provide the
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proper support and direction.
Using Case Histories
Many leading experts in moral/ethical education (Campbell, 2003;
Benninga, 2003; Ozar, 2001; Chubbuck, Burant, & Whipp, 2001; Tripathy,
2007; Fleischmann, Robbins & Wallace, 2009; and Davis & Davey, 2007) not
to mention Jesus and Socrates, indicate that discussion and analysis of typical
case histories involving a variety of situations are very useful in developing the
judgmental skills necessary for moral/ethical actions and decisions.
Action research carried out in an Ethics course at a Teachers College in
Bogot, Colombia (Mc Danel, 2013) corroborates the value of the desired
outcomes formulated by Ozar. During the process of investigation, several
fctionalized case histories based upon real life situations were compiled.
These are offered in this manual as a tool for enhancing teachers moral/ethical
judgment, in the hope that it will be a useful resource for veteran teachers and
students alike.
The cases included are examples of circumstances which might arise in a
school context. In this collection they generally fall into three categories, daily
procedure (cases 1- 6- 8- 10- 18- 20), severe misconduct (cases 2- 3- 4- 13-
14- 15- 16- 19), and personal problems (cases 5- 7- 11- 12- 17); however,
many of these cases can be classifed in more than one category. Each case
is accompanied by questions to prompt discussion and a brief commentary
as well as a short lesson for students to keep in mind as they begin student
practices or become engaged in any teaching environment.
Daily procedure
These cases generally involve circumstances that could arise in the normal
operational day of a teacher in schools anywhere. These cases often present
more diffculty for students to analyze, simply because of the seemingly benign
nature of the situation. Students often do not consider the domino effect that a
simple act may produce and how this can often lead to severe consequences
for the teacher.
Severe misconduct
These cases exemplify extremely unacceptable and sometimes badly
intentioned behavior and students will easily identify the censurable actions of
the characters. They may however fnd diffculty considering all of the resulting
consequences for the extended community.
Personal problems
These cases contain examples of situations where personal problems are
affecting the proper execution of an individuals professional performance.
As bystanders we have been culturally conditioned to not get involved or
intervene in the personal problems that we identify in others, even when we
are aware that innocent people might be affected. It is only human to not want
to risk being called a snitch and lose the esteem of our colleagues. Moreover,
we are by nature reluctant to take part in an uncomfortable situation which will
involve our time and testimony, yet if we are to act correctly, sometimes we
must get involved.
Guidelines for Case Analysis:
The following criteria which are based upon NEA standards and the State of
Connecticut code of conduct for teachers and the legislation of the Secretaria
de Educacin of Bogot provide a useful guide for discussion and analysis of
case histories and help students develop a wider understanding of how deeply
a particular action may affect a person or an entire community:
Consideration of the rules and code of conduct of the institution (Has
the teacher acted contrarily to the schools code of conduct as established
in the community handbook or the schools teacher manual?)
The involvement of students in a particular action or situation (Have
students taken an active part or observed in some way the questionable
situation?)
The safety or well-being of students (Are students directly exposed
to physical or mental danger, including negative effects on a childs self
esteem?)
The effects on student learning (Has the learning process been
interrupted or exposed to a negative outcome? This can include not fulflling
the academic expectations or learning an unacceptable conduct through
example. It can also refer to inhibitions caused by an insensitive teacher.)
Injury to the reputation of a person, community, institution, or the
teaching profession (Has the reputation of any of these been placed in
jeopardy or subjected to possible negative consequences through rumors
or scandals?)
Consequences that might be in order for the person responsible for
the problem. (In instances where a disciplinary process occurs, the case
should be studied by a disciplinary committee and should follow the same
due process as prescribed in the community handbook. Consequences will
vary according to the seriousness of the incident and may include anything
from simple verbal warning to, in extreme cases, immediate dismissal).
For this purpose teachers may fnd a rubric for these criteria which is included
in this manual useful. The rubric is based upon the above mentioned categories
and is scaled by color (blue, green, yellow, orange, and red) according to the
seriousness of the situation.
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Methodology for Using Case Histories
At the onset of the course students should have a clear understanding of
the desired objectives. It is advisable to go over the basic skills students bring
with them and the expected outcomes for the course as outlined by Ozar. A
theoretical framework is always of great use. An introduction to the theories
of moral development of Piaget, Kohlberg, Goodlad, Rest, and Ozar will help
students identify how they and others respond to moral/ethical situations. This
will help students evaluate their own level of skills and have a clear idea of
what they expect to develop.
Several methodologies can and should be employed in the classes and these
should be designed to be entertaining as well as instructive. It is advisable to
vary the methodology to avoid monotony. Students respond positively when the
teacher acts as a facilitator rather than a lecturer. In this way students become
more autonomous and lose their fear of stating their opinions regarding moral/
ethical matters. Case histories can be used in the following ways:
Read in class or in groups and present and discuss with the rest of the
class.
Students read for homework and discuss in the next class
Students carry out role play by groups who then lead the others in
discussion.
Students work in pairs, present the case and lead the discussion.
Students illustrate the case in comic strips or posters by groups and
present to the class.
Students write an analysis of a case individually. This will allow the teacher
to evaluate each student separately.
Students often volunteer their own experiences, and when this occurs, the
teacher should allow time for adequate interaction.
Students might also view a flm that contains some ethical dilemmas
concerning teachers and debate it in class or write a movie review refecting
on the ethical issues. Examples might be Up the Down Staircase(1967)
and The Wave (2008).
One of the most important results of the course is the confdence to express
personal opinion on moral/ethical issues. Students should be encouraged
to reach consensus when differences of opinion occur. This will sometimes
require some guidance from the teacher.
Students are enthusiastic when asked to take the parts of the characters in
role play. They assign characters and rehearse their presentation, present it,
then lead a discussion with the rest of the class. They particularly enjoy taking
the parts of the bad teacher or the directives of the school. The elaboration
of a poster or a comic strip presentation is also an effective technique. Groups
can be given different cases, paper and markers and time to work. They
illustrate the case in drawings, then present the sequence of drawings to the
class, explain, and lead refective discussion.

Students usually fnd varied methodologies productive and relaxing. The
teacher should be careful to not allow the conversation to get away from
the task, and guide the interaction with questions that provoke analysis and
refection. We can conclude that the more active the class the better. Students
will often laugh at each other, but their judgment will be well exercised, and
hopefully their moral/ethical awareness will be enhanced.
Part three of the manual provides some guiding questions for discussion
and a brief commentary for each of the cases in this collection. The teacher of
the course might use the questions to stimulate discussion. At the beginning
of the course, it is not unusual to experience lapses in student discussion, as
a certain degree of timidity is generally evident when treating moral/ethical
matters. However, as the course continues discussion will become much
more spontaneous to the point of the teacher having more trouble stopping
the discussion than getting it started. It is preferable that the teacher not
provide the commentary to the students until after allowing them to thoroughly
discuss the situation and arrive at their own conclusions. The teacher will
probably want to reinforce the Lesson which accompanies each commentary.
This will allow the students to assimilate some tips for their personal code of
professional conduct.

We must be aware that no amount of classroom practice will take the place
of lived experience. We also know that, given the extreme importance of the
responsibility teachers will carry throughout their careers, the opportunity to
become familiar with diverse situations and exercise moral/ethical awareness
and reasoning /refection will not only be of great value, but may well stimulate
them to embrace the moral agency that the profession requires.
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2
Case Histories
The cases included in this manual although based upon to real life experience
are largely a product of fction and have no connection with or intention to refer
to a real person or institution. Any likeness which may be identifed is purely
coincidental.
CASE 1 OUT OF CONTROL
A teacher of Social Studies, who also teaches in a major university, seems
to enjoy popularity with his students, and, for the most part, the good will of
his colleagues. The teacher is supposed to teach his classes in English, and
he is undoubtedly an expert in his feld. All of his students get good results.
He is contracted for part time at the school because he only teaches four
groups of the older students, and therefore comes to school at 11:00 a.m. and
leaves at 3:00 p.m. in order to accommodate morning and evening classes at
the university. This allows him to have lunch in the school cafeteria. When he
has any free time, he can be found in the library reading the newspaper and
preparing for his university classes.
Teachers who have classes next to his room complain that the loud
laughing and talking coming from his classroom interferes with their lessons.
Two teachers, who can see his class through the window, mention that they
can observe the students throwing paper airplanes at each other and yelling
at anyone who walks past the window on the outside. From time to time, if
the weather permits, the teachers class can be seen playing volleyball on an
improvised court on the far side of the building. Yet, another complaint is from
teachers who are scheduled for supervision duty with him. They say that he
never seems to be around during lunchtime when he is supposed to be on
cafeteria duty.
When the principal asks some of his students about their classes, they say
that the teacher would discuss a reading from the local newspaper during the
frst part of the class and then they could do about whatever they wanted. One
boy states that everybody passes, even though they dont do much. When
English was mentioned, the students laugh and say that English is never used
in their class.
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CASE 2 WORRIED MOTHER
A teacher has been working for the school for fve years. He enjoys the
comradeship of the teachers, including a close friendship with the head of
his department. He is teaching a group with many of the highest achievers in
grade ten.
During the frst semester, the classs group director is approached on
parents conference day by the mother of one of the girls. The young lady is
a quiet, introverted, not very attractive student, who achieves top marks. The
girls mother is very concerned about the girl frequently arriving home late
after school, which is not like her. It seems that a group of about six of the best
students is getting together for a study group with the teacher in question, at
his apartment.
The mother fears that the study group involves the use of marijuana
because she has observed a progressive change in her daughters behavior.
The once complacent loving child has turned aggressive and secretive.
The mother identifes the other students in the group and insists that they
have never been friends with her daughter in the past. The mother is almost
hysterical in her concern.
When the group director comments the incident to the head of department,
this person laughs and says that this particular mother always over reacts to
any diffculty with her daughter or her younger son. He says that his friend
would never do this and dismisses it as ridiculous. The teacher is led to believe
that the mother is in the habit of expressing exaggerated concerns, and is
advised not to worry about it.
As time goes on, the group director notices that the teacher is often speaking
to the students in a group or one by one during recess and lunch hour. One
afternoon he asks one of the girls in question why she didnt get on the bus,
and she replies that she is waiting to go home with the teacher to attend a
study group that meets there. This of course makes the teacher suspicious
because it confrms at least part of the mothers complaint.

The group director decides to mention his concern to the principal this time,
but is met with the same attitude as the head of department. Although the
principal says that he will look into the matter, time goes by and no apparent
action seems to be taken.
Some weeks later, the mother asks for an appointment with the group
director. This time she is very emphatic. The mother, crying and angry, tells
the teacher that she confronted her daughter and found that the girl was using
marijuana. The girl announced that she was in love with the teacher, and that
they had a thing. She does not want to talk to the head of department because
her daughter told her that it would do no good because he is the teachers
friend. The group director accompanies the mother to speak to the principal,
and they insist that the school take action. He listens and then says that he
will investigate and get in touch with the mother. Of course, the principal goes
straight to the head of department and relates the concern. The reaction is
of horror and the head of department assures the Principal that his friend
would never be involved in such a thing. They question the teacher, and he
admits that he has been studying with some students, but denies the other
accusations.
The group director is never informed of any action taken and remains
concerned but discrete. As time goes by, the mother never returns to talk to
the group director, not even on parent conference days. However, he notices
that the students are no longer leaving school with the teacher.
At the end of the semester the staff is told that the teacher in question has
resigned. No further details are given.

22 23
CASE 3 MATH MONSTER
When a new head of mathematics arrives to school she is treated almost as
royalty. She is presented to the board of directors, invited to dinner at the best
restaurants, and even spends a weekend at a board members farm. Later, it
becomes evident that she and the rector knew each other when they studied
together at university.
She is hired to restructure the curriculum in Math, fortify methodology and
give professional development to teachers in order to bring up results on
college entrance exams. She is also in charge of making the secondary school
timetable for the next school year. At frst, teachers are in awe when she tells
them about having studied for a Masters degree at Oxford and her extensive
experience teaching Math at top schools internationally. They are NOT happy
with her opinionated bossy attitude or with her constant interference in their
work and that of staff members from other departments.
When she sees her teaching schedule, some problems arise. After looking
over the curriculum and the texts for the upper grades, she very energetically
insists that she would rather teach middle school in order to strengthen the
weaknesses that were coming up from elementary school and motivate
students to love Math. This, she says, will result in higher achievement on
external exams. Since her opinion is so highly regarded, her schedule is
modifed. Another teacher will teach her original schedule.
As the school year progresses, there are constant complaints from members
of her department about the way in which she speaks to them in a degrading
manner, sometimes in front of other teachers and students. Also, the other
teachers do not agree with her intentions to restructure Math classes putting
students in sets according to ability, which she has decided without hearing
their opinions.
Near the end of the year when work begins on the timetable for the next
school year, she brags that she is an expert and that she has a computer
program that will do the timetable automatically. Soon people notice that she is
having trouble. What she said she could fnish in a week or two is not complete
before the end of the school year. Two Math teachers present their resignation
at the end of the year saying that they found other jobs because they refused
to continue with the same boss. When the new school year begins, there are
many mistakes in the schedule which make it inoperable. The secondary
school offce is overfowing with complaining parents and teachers.
24 25
CASE 4 BUSINESS IS BUSINESS
A social studies teacher,
who is also responsible for the
organization and operation of
the obligatory social service
requirements, has been
comfortably employed for six
years at a school. As social
service requires close contact
with the projects, a day care
center and a dispensary in a
less favored zone of the city,
the teacher is allowed to leave
school from time to time during
a two-hour lapse in his class
schedule to attend the project.
The teacher has a jovial personality which makes him popular with his
students, and learning results in the subjects he teachers are good. The
teacher keeps well organized records and attends other duties promptly and
in good spirit.
Shortly after Christmas vacation, some colleagues notice that the teacher
does not arrive to class on time after the two-hour break on Wednesday
mornings. His 11:00 a.m. class is often noisy and outside of the classroom.
The teacher is asked about this and given verbal warning. About the middle of
February, after waiting for the teacher over 30 minutes, the principal locates
him on his cell phone. The background noise indicates moving traffc, but the
teacher says that he is stuck at the onsite social service offce with some
problems, and that he was just about to call the school to say he would be
a little late and to please have someone cover his class until he arrived. The
principal asks him to come to the offce as soon as he gets back to school.
When he arrives at 1:15 p.m., just before his next class, he tries to continue
with his excuse. He is confronted by the principal about the traffc sounds.
After a feeble attempt to explain, he admits that he is organizing a charter
excursion to a traditional national festival which will produce a nice proft for
him. He was visiting a travel agent in the center of the city securing hotel
reservations and airplane tickets for his customers. He admits that he has
used the social service time repeatedly to set up the excursion.
CASE 5 CULTURAL CLASH
A married couple from another state is hired to teach in a prestigious school.
Their sons, one in grade 5 and one in grade 7, are accepted on scholarship
as a beneft the couple receives as teachers. The lady is to teach in middle
school and the gentleman will teach Science in the upper grades.

Throughout the four days of teacher orientation and curriculum review they
are both very well presented. He wears a suit and tie and she wears a skirt
and jacket. Both look very professional. They are well received by their fellow
teachers because they are pleasant and friendly. At the end of the orientation
week, one teacher remarks that they have both worn the same clothes all
week, and suggests that maybe there had been a problem with their baggage.
School begins and their children seem to ft in well with their groups. They
play football and engage in other activities with classmates. By the end of
the frst two weeks of school neither of them has changed their clothes.
Considering the possibility of lost luggage, a well meaning colleague asks
the lady if she would like to know where the shopping centers are in case she
wished to buy anything that they might need. The lady thanks her but declines
the offer saying that there was no need. A month goes by and people are
making comments about the couple not changing their clothes. Their children
are no longer being included in as many activities with their classmates.
26 27
As the frst marking period draws to an end both teachers are looking pretty
shabby. Students and teachers are openly joking about them. No one complains
about the teaching ability of the couple or the quality of their classes; however,
there is a rumor that students are raffing the seats closest to the teachers
desks to determine who has to sit there. The principal calls the teachers in
and asks if there is anything the school can do to help them, thinking that they
might have some economical obligation they are not mentioning, or perhaps
some diffculty with the water in their apartment. He gently informs them that
the people here are very clean and the custom is to shower frequently and
change clothes. He tells them that people might fnd it offensive if they dont
seem to share this custom.
Soon their boys are being teased and called piggy. The oldest son has
a fst fght with a classmate who insulted his family. The children say they
do not want to go to school anymore. Grade eight takes up a collection and
purchases two deodorants. They gift wrap them and put one on each of the
teachers desks. The couple is outraged at the impudence of the students and
at the way their sons are being treated.
The family leaves the city for Christmas vacation, and on the day classes
are to resume after the holidays they notify the school that they will not be
returning.
CASE 6 MUSICAL MISHAP
A well qualifed, and experienced Music teacher is hired to teach all of the
grades of high school in a small private school. He is assigned two hours
weekly with fourteen different classes for a total of twenty eight contact hours
in a fve day timetable.
He soon motivates the most talented students to organize themselves into
bands. He manages to present a splendid Christmas show in which all of the
students sing. Parents are delighted. He also organizes a talent show in which
students sing and the bands play. He even encourages some of the students
to compose their own music. External judges and known musicians are called
in to decide the winners. All of these events are very successful.
These achievements overshadow the many complaints from other teachers
that the teacher cannot handle discipline in his classes and that students are
often seen wondering around the playground when they should be in class. He
is given verbal warning and many suggestions about how to handle a diffcult
group. The teacher complains to the principal that he is having a hard time
with an eighth grade class in particular in which there are four very notoriously
naughty girls. He says the girls will not obey him and that they frequently talk
back to him in a disrespectful manner. When the girls are brought in to talk to
them about the complaint one of the girls becomes very upset and accuses
the teacher of looking at her and her friends in an improper manner. She says
that he stares at their legs. Her friends quickly affrm that this is true. They do
not like the fact that he calls them by their nick names and they feel that he is
treating them with too much familiarity.
28 29
This causes great concern and the principal calls in the teacher to hear his
version, which is entirely different from that of the girls. According to him the
girls are the ones who do insinuating things in his presence. The principal
warns the teacher that the accusations are very delicate, and that any improper
behavior will lead to his immediate dismissal. He tells the teacher that he will
carry out an investigation.
The principal waits a few days before dropping in on the class. He fnds
the girls sitting directly in front of the teachers desk with their legs crossed
provokingly and their skirts covering the bare minimum. The teacher is trying
to get the attention of the rest of the class, who are talking and laughing. The
principal notices that three boys who should be there are not in the room.
CASE 7 MONEY MATTERS
When an excellent university makes their yearly offer of three full scholarships
for the schools best graduates, the counselor in charge of selecting the
candidates informs the senior students of the offer and asks those interested
to stop by her offce and give her their names. About seven students apply for
the nomination, one of whom is the daughter of another teacher of the school.
Only two students are what could be considered top students. The others
will not be considered because their chances to actually pass the university
entrance exam are very slim.
The university is very strict with the process of selection. If the candidates
nominated by a school do not pass the entrance exam, the school loses the
privilege to nominate their students for the next two school years. Therefore,
whoever is in charge of the selection process must be very careful in making
the nominations. Finally, after consultation with teachers, three names are
selected.
The day before the deadline to inform the university of the names of the
nominees, the best nominee, who is most certain to gain the scholarship,
informs the counselor that, given her high achievement, she will surely be
accepted at another top university where she prefers to go. She says she is
not interested in the scholarship and asks the counselor to remove her name
from the list. As a result, the counselor turns in only two names to the person
who must inform the university the next day.
Three days later this person mentions to the counselor that when she saw
only two names on the nomination sheet, she thought it a shame to waste the
opportunity and added her daughters name to the list, even though she is not a
good student. She says that the girl really wants to study at that university and
30 31
that a scholarship would be a wonderful solution to the limited funds available
for her daughters education. She asks the counselor to be prudent and not
mention her daughters name being added to the list.
When the results come back, two students have passed the entrance exam,
but the colleagues daughter has not. Two days later, the mother of the girl who
had withdrawn her name from the process comes to school and accuses the
counselor of favoritism. She insists that her daughter did want to attend that
university and she was denied the opportunity for scholarship in order to favor
the teachers daughter. Unsatisfed with the explanation given, she accuses
the counselor with the Secretary of Education. A very stressful and unpleasant
process of investigation is carried out. The counselor is interrogated repeatedly
by offcials and her professional integrity is questioned. The case is soon being
discussed by the entire community.
Fortunately, the counselor conserves a rough draft of the nomination
process and the agenda of meetings with students. The day and hour that the
girl withdrew her name, saying she preferred another university, is recorded,
and a colleague, who was in the offce at the time, testifes that the counselor
turned in only two names. The counselor, who suffered greatly during this
investigation, is not bothered further.
No further information regarding the incident circulates and fortunately the
school year is nearing the end. During vacation the community hears a rumor
that the colleague who had put in her daughtersname has been offered a job
elsewhere and will not be returning.
CASE 8 BITTER BORROWING
A popular young teacher is planning several activities to illustrate the topic
he is teaching. There will be power point presentations, videos and other
active group work projects. He discovers that one aspect of his topic could be
very effectively illustrated by using a Wii. The teacher mentions the assortment
of activities to the class and they are very enthused especially with the use
of the Wii. As it turns out the school resource center can provide all of the
equipment and materials he needs with the exception of the Wii. Naturally,
when he informs the class that it is impossible to do the Wii activity they are
very disappointed. He says it could only be possible if one of the students
could bring the equipment to school and loan it to him for the day for use in his
three grade eight classes. One of the boys says that his uncle just brought him
the newest edition of Wii from outside the country. He had received it for his
birthday the week before, and he is happy to bring it. The teacher is delighted
and so are the classmates. The teacher accepts the offer even though he
knows that the school policy does not permit students to bring expensive
personal articles to school.
The following week the programmed activities begin and the owner of the
Wii brings it to school as promised. Two classes enjoy the activity before lunch
and the third class is to take place immediately after lunch. At lunch time, the
teacher prepares to go to the cafeteria. Before leaving he removes the Wii
from the top of his desk and places in on a book shelf at the back of the room.
He does not bother to lock the door on his way out because he has forgotten
his key at home. He considers looking for one of the maintenance employees
32 33
to unlock the door when he returns, but decides against it because it is not
always easy to locate a maintenance person, especially at lunch time. He has
lunch with his colleagues then goes to the staff room for coffee. Five minutes
before the classes are to resume he heads back to the classroom. He fnds
everything just as he had left it, except that the Wii is no longer on the book
shelf. He searches in all of the drawers and elsewhere, thinking that maybe he
hadnt left it on the shelf after all. Panic strikes! He goes to the other classrooms
and asks fellow teachers if they know anything about its whereabouts. There is
no indication as to where it might be.
The teacher is forced to report the loss to the principal and of course to the
owner, as well as the rest of his students. All available teachers are involved
in visiting classes and searching all lockers and book bags. The operation
paralyzes the school during the entire afternoon. Suspects are mentioned and
questioned, but all is in vain.
The next day the boys angry parents arrive at school before the frst class
begins. They demand to see the principal and the director. The teacher, they
insist, will have to replace the Wii immediately with a new one of the exact
same quality. If this does not happen, they will fle a law suit against the school
and the teacher. They will not accept money.
After much argument, the teacher accepts to replace the apparatus but says
that he does not have the funds available to buy such an expensive article.
To quiet the parents the school is forced to lend him the money and deduct
it from his pay in three installments, and the teacher must face a disciplinary
committee for having broken the school rules.
CASE 9 DANGEROUS ADDICTION
Carlos, who has a lovely wife and
a two year old son, is outgoing and
intelligent. He gets along very well
with the students and is often seen
talking to groups of students during
recess and lunch hour. His good
humor makes him well accepted
by his fellow teachers. The head
of department and the principal
appreciate his capacity to come up
with new ideas, solve problems, and
elaborate plans to improve student
learning and to make the curriculum
better. He has enjoyed being a stable
member of the community for nearly
seven years, and is applying for the
head of department position for the
next school year when the present
head will be leaving. Everything looks
positive for him.
One day a female teacher from his department asks for an appointment with
the principal. She doesnt quite know how to express her concern. She says
that a fellow teacher is always on the computer when he is not in class. This
is an inconvenience because she can never access the computer when she
has time because her free hours coincide with his. When asked if that was the
only reason for her visit, she hesitates and fnally adds that she doesnt want
to make a problem, but that she suspects that the teacher often accesses
pornographic websites. She noticed that when she enters the offce and he
is there using the computer he quickly closes what he is doing and brings up
something else related to school work. She reluctantly informs the principal
that Carlos is the teacher she is speaking of.
The Principal thanks her for her information and says that he will follow up
on it. After having given some thought to the matter, the principal decides to
question one of the male teachers from the department who is not a close friend
of Carlos. The teacher looks surprised, but admits that he too has observed
the teacher looking at pornographic sites. His concern is that students come
in and out of the offce all day long and it looks bad for the teacher to be doing
this. Also, he says it is diffcult to fnd the computer available due the excessive
use by this teacher.
The Principle confronts Carlos with the problem, not mentioning the source
of his information. At frst Carlos emphatically denies the accusation. He is
certain that it is a mistake and insists that the principle tell him who accused
34 35
him of such a terrible thing. The principal has the I.T. technician go in and
check the most recently visited websites and the pornographic sites appear at
once. The teacher can no longer deny the accusations. Little by little, his fellow
teachers begin to divulge what they have ignored for the past two years. As the
investigation continues, they discover that the teacher is chatting frequently
and vulgarly with a sixteen year old girl from another school.
The directives decide that Carlos, who fnally acknowledges that he has an
addictive problem, must leave the school at once. They advise him to seek
the help of a psychologist for his addiction. He is told not to look for another
teaching job until he has overcome his dependency. Carlos is instructed not to
include school contacts for reference.
When students ask why he is no longer at the school, they are told that he
has been offered an important opportunity and had to leave. The teachers in
the department are not punished for complicity but are warned verbally about
their negligence which potentially could have affected the students and the
school.
Nearly a year and a half later the principal is contacted by a school in another
city and asked for reference. The principal responds that Carlos left the school
in the middle of the second semester due to a personal problem and was
counseled to get psychological support. The school says they have no further
information available.
CASE 10 VACATION TEMPTATION
After the frst marking period, it becomes obvious that one girl in grade nine
is not interested in doing the work required for her History course. The teacher,
who has been with the school for over two years, calls in the parents and
advises them of the situation. It seems that the girl is also failing English and
Spanish. Some action plans are made with the parents who say that they will
see to it that their child will do homework and study for tests.
At the end of the semester, there has been no signifcant change in the
girls attitude. At frst, she turns in her homework and manages to pass the
next exam, but soon she is back in the same pattern. Once again the parents
are informed. This time they are warned that given the fact that half of the
school year is already over, it is going to be extremely diffcult for the child to
recuperate. However there has been considerable improvement in Spanish
and some improvement in English, although she has not managed to pass.
The parents suggest that the History teacher has something against their
daughter, and that they will speak to the principal about this. The teacher is
able to defend himself by showing his grade book and the last exams.
By the end of the third marking period, the girl has still not passed the course.
This time the parents are aggressive with the teacher. How could it be, they
say, that the girl has passed Spanish with a 3.2 and has managed to barely
pass English with a fat 3.0 for the third term, and yet has still not recovered
at all in History? They again threaten the teacher and say that they will have
36 37
him fred for being prejudice against their daughter. The teacher once again, is
able to show concrete evidence for the girls failure. The parents then ask what
it would take to help their daughter pass the course. The teacher tells them
that it would be almost impossible. She would need to achieve a maximum
mark for the fnal period and the fnal exam. As the child is still very close to
failure in Spanish and is still failing English for the year, there is a real danger
that she will have to repeat the year. The parents inform the teacher that they
are going to hire a tutor for the three subjects to insure the girls success
during the fourth marking period.
Just before fnal exams, the parents are called in again. This time the girl
is again failing Spanish and English and her marks in History have improved
considerably, but not enough to pass. Everything seems to depend on the fnal
exams, and it is almost certain that she will have to repeat grade 9. This for the
parents and the girl will be a great humiliation, as well as a great deal of money
lost in paying another year of high tuition. In the midst of tears and insults with
accusations that the teacher has had something against their child from the
frst day, the father asks the teacher if he has ever been to a famous resort city
on the coast. When the teacher says that it has been years since he has been
there, the father asks him if he has plans for the upcoming vacations. The
teacher responds that he doesnt have plans because he is making payments
on a new car. The father mentions that their apartment in the resort area will be
empty during the month of July and that they just happen to have two tickets
that they do not intend to use because their daughter will have to stay home
and study for make-up exams in English and Spanish to be taken in August,
before beginning grade ten.
The young teacher has just married. The couple has not had a formal
honeymoon, and the temptation to take his wife to an ocean resort during July
is just too much to resist. The teacher knows that school policy will not allow
him to tutor the girl himself. The solution is to give the test questions to another
teacher and recommend that the girl take classes with him to prepare for the
fnal exam. The girl manages to pass the History recuperation exam with a
minimum mark.
Given the miraculous recovery in History, the Promotion Committee allows
the student to present recuperation exams in English and Spanish in August
and pass to grade 10.
CASE 11 CRADLE ROBBER
A young energetic teacher, about twenty eight years old, who really enjoys
a good time, has been in the school for about a year and a half. She is very
popular with the students due to her outgoing personality and her love for
popular music and dancing. She is often seen in a popular local bar on Friday
and Saturday nights. It is no secret that her social life is very active.
She is a good teacher and gets good results, especially with the sixth and
seventh grade students. This year she has been given one grade ten and one
grade eleven group to teach, and seems to be doing alright in spite of it being
the frst time she has taught the older students.
In about the middle of the second semester, colleagues notice that she is in
an exceptionally good mood. When they mention this to her she laughs and
says that she thinks she might be falling in love. The other teachers tease her
about this a bit, and tell her that they are happy for her. When they ask her
who the lucky guy is, she just smiles and says that they would be surprised.
She never gives the name for her pretender, and carries on the same for the
next month.
One Monday morning she is so happy that her friend cant resist asking
why. She almost jumps up and down with joy and exclaims that she and
Juan Camilo got it together over the weekend! What do you mean, got it
together? asks her fellow teacher. Well, what do you think? she replies. We
are formally boyfriend-girlfriend! Her friend just stands there with her mouth
open and, when she is fnally able to talk, she says, You dont mean Juan
Camilo from grade 11, do you? Of course! is the answer, Its OK, isnt it?
38 39
I just wanted everyone to know because we have been seeing each other
for over a month now, and we go out dancing almost every Friday where the
older students often go. On Saturday he took me to his parents house to meet
them, and they are OK with our relationship. I dont see why the school should
have anything to say.
Her astounded colleague pauses and then says, I really dont think that it
looks good for a teacher to be going out with a boy from school. You are quite
a bit older and he is a student, and the community might react negatively. The
reputation of the school is at stake. He is still in school and I dont think he is
18 yet, is he? He will be 18 in three months time, and I dont think anyone
has the right to interfere with my private life or his! she exclaims. Her friend
suggests that it might be a good idea to talk to the principal about the situation
before she tells anyone else.
About two hours later the friend sees the girl looking quite upset and asks
her what happened. She responds that she has talked to the principal about
the situation, and his answer was quite direct. He said, That is interesting!
I am happy for you if that is your choice; however, it will involve leaving your
job immediately if you decide that you would prefer to continue with your
relationship with the boy. For a teacher to get involved with a student is
professional suicide. I would not be able to keep you on staff. What on earth
are you thinking?
CASE 12 STIGMATIZED
All of the eighth grade teachers show some discomfort when they are
informed that they will be teaching group 8B. The class has a bad reputation
for having been badly behaved throughout grade 7, and they have been
warned by the seventh grade teachers that they will have the worst year of
their lives trying to handle the class. If they were like that in grade 7, what
will they be like in grade 8? one teacher asks. Another comments, Yes, I
pity you! They discuss a redistribution of the students to try to make a more
manageable group, but there are supposedly too many bad apples to be able
to redistribute effectively. They relate how the group has made some teachers
cry on more than one occasion.
None of the teachers are happy and every time they get together they
mention how awful the group is. As time goes by the commentaries get more
and more aggressive. The discipline in the group gets worse and worse. All
of the teachers are telling the class that they are bad, lazy, disrespectful,
irresponsible, unintelligent, and how awful it is to have to see them every day.
Every time a teacher says something about the group all of the teachers sigh
or make a degrading remark. In the teachers meetings the time is spent talking
badly about the group. Teachers say, Oh no! I have eight B this afternoon.
Ill teach fve classes replacement for anyone who will take that class this
afternoon! Another teacher refers to the class as the plague. Another who
teaches both eight B and eight C tells the class that eight C has done a great
job on an exam but of course eight B is too dumb and too lazy to pass a simple
test. They all agree that it is a waste of time to try to teach the group. The entire
semester goes on in the same way.
40 41
About a month after the mid-year break, three of the girls from eight B go
to the principals offce. They begin to cry. Our teachers hate us. They keep
telling us that we are the worst group they have ever had to teach. One girl
says that she has asked her parents to transfer her to another school. Another
says that she wants to learn but that the teachers dont want to waste their
time trying to teach the group. The third girl says she is trying to get good
grades to be able to go to college, but no matter how much she studies the
teachers never give her the marks she deserves, Its because they call us
the Dummies, and they think we cant change. They dont even check our
papers. If they did, they would see that we know something. They ask the
principal to speak to the teachers to see if there is something they can do to
help change teachers minds about the group.
Worried, the principal calls a meeting of eight B teachers. There are nine
teachers in all. He expresses the genuine concern the girls had shown and
asks them if what they said is true. The teachers begin to look uncomfortable.
He tells them that he has heard some remarks himself when passing through
the staff room. After a long silence, one of the teachers says, Youre right. We
have had a bad opinion of those kids since before we actually taught them.
Maybe we should all change our attitude and see what happens. Most of the
teachers look at him as if he were crazy. Another teacher says, You know,
there are some good kids in that class. Maybe we havent been fair. We let
their reputation convince us that we were not going to like teaching them.
CASE 13 TIPSY TEACHER
The new head of the Science department seems to be a delightful person.
She is very well qualifed and seems keen to promote a positive working
environment in her department. The students are pleased with her as a teacher
and she certainly knows her subject. She often invites the members of the
department and their spouses to her house for a meal, and her husband is
outgoing and enjoys socializing with his wifes colleagues. The couple has a
little girl four years old and a baby boy of six months.
Eventually some of the members of the department begin to notice that the
teacher often smells of alcohol when she comes to work. Little by little, some
questions are raised as to whether she might be drinking quite a lot at night.
Some of her colleagues question her but she answers that she only has
an occasional glass of wine. As time goes on it becomes apparent that it is
more than an occasional glass of wine. When her closest friend is called in to
the principals offce for her opinion, she is very defensive of her friend. She
answers that the teacher does not drink and it is unfair that they should suggest
this without knowing. She says that her friend likely suffers from diabetes,
which sometimes causes a breath odor similar to that of alcohol consumption.
The teacher is fortunate to count with a nursery for teachers children who
are not of school age and the baby spends the school day there. The nurse
there is the frst to notice that the baby does not seem to be as alert as he
should be. The mother goes three times a day, and sometimes more, to the
preschool nursery to feed the child.
42 43
As time goes by, someone mentions that the teacher often sets work for
the students and goes back to her desk to mark papers, leaving the class
alone. She always has a glass of Coca Cola on her desk. Complaints continue
about the smell of alcohol on her breath, now not just in the morning but all
day. Her students are laughing and making jokes about it. The baby boy is
underweight, and the nurse suspects the cause of his underdevelopment. In
the meantime, several incidents of incompetence are reported to the principal.
The teacher loses some admission exams, which causes the prospective
parents to complain to the principal.
The principal calls the teacher to his offce to talk to her about the suspected
drinking problem. The teachers reaction is quite controlled. She says that yes
she has been drinking a bit more than usual because the baby often cries
at night and she cant sleep. She is counseled to get some help if she feels
that there might be a more serious problem with the alcohol. She assures the
principal that the people who mentioned the smell of alcohol are just being
malicious and that she is in complete control of the situation. She says that
the accusations are offensive and insists that she be told who made such
unfounded statements. Of course the principal refrains from telling her who
made the observations. Again she asks her friend about the situation and is
again assured that there is no problem with alcohol. Nonetheless, the principal
speaks to the school psychologist about the problem and asks that the same
procedure be carried out with the teacher as when a student is involved in
something similar. Help and counseling with complete confdentiality is offered
to the teacher. The psychologist later reports that the teacher refuses to admit
that she has a problem.
The principal decides to drop in on one of her classes. She fnds the students
alone working on a lesson and the teacher in the offce at her desk with the
usual glass of Coca Cola. That afternoon after the teachers leave school, the
principal and deputy principal unlock the department offce and carry out a
search for evidence that the teacher is drinking during school hours. They fnd
nothing.
A week before the school year ends, the nurse comes to the principals
offce. She produces a half empty bottle of whisky. She says that she noticed
the toilet running in the teachers bathroom which was right beside her offce.
She decides to go in and see what is the matter. She takes the lid off of the
cistern to see if she can stop the water from escaping and fnds the bottle of
whisky inside the tank. The teacher has been flling her Coke glass every time
she goes to tend to the baby then goes back to her offce with her refll.

One grade eleven girl has been very negligent with her work in Spanish
during her senior year. The teacher does everything possible to motivate the
girl to turn in her work, and calls in the parents to make them aware of the
danger of failing. When the time comes to review the achievement records for
all of the students to confrm who will be graduating, the evaluation committee
realizes that the girl is not passing all of her subjects. She will need to do a
great deal of extra work in three subjects and also achieve a very high mark
on the fnal exams to be able to pass.
The subject teachers are called to a meeting and asked if they can give the
young lady and four other students extra work to do before the exam in order
for them to bring up their marks to a minimum pass. With graduation at stake,
the teachers agree to comply with the request, and all of them including the
Spanish teacher give the students extra work to do. They are to present the
work by the end of the week because the fnal exams will begin the following
Monday. The Spanish teacher calls the girl to the offce and gives her three
pieces of work to do.
The girl does not bother to turn in any work. Teachers report that the other
students have in fact brought the required work. The exams begin the following
Monday, and the Spanish exam is to take place on Wednesday. The teacher
decides not to go looking for the girl anymore because the deadline has already
passed. If the girl were to bring in the work, the teacher thinks that because
CASE 14 ORDERS FROM THE BOSS
44 45
graduation is at stake she will probably receive it and give the girl a minimum
passing grade. Then, everything would depend on the outcome of the fnal
exam. But, if no work is turned in the girl will fail even if she passes the fnal
exam. The girl takes the exam but does not approach the teacher or make any
effort to turn in the work she was assigned. When the teacher grades the test
paper, she fnds it to be very poor and the girl fails. The teacher is careful to get
another opinion about the test before she turns in the grade. The other teacher
agrees that the test is very poor, and that the girl deserves to fail. This means
that the young lady will not graduate with her classmates. She will have to take
a remedial exam at the beginning of the next school year and pass Spanish,
or face repeating grade eleven. If she passes she will receive her diploma but
she will not walk in the graduation ceremony.
Final grades are turned in at the end of the week, and on the following
Tuesday the Principal visits the Spanish teacher in her offce. He tells her
that the girls parents have just been to visit him and he informed them about
the girls failure to graduate. It is a terrible tragedy for them, of course. There
are tears, threats, and pleading. He now asks the teacher to pass the girl in
spite of her failure to turn in the required work and her poor exam result. His
arguments do not seem convincing, and the teacher refuses to cooperate. The
principal insists very nicely and then tells the teacher that sometimes the rules
have to be bent a little, and that she should consider the poor family because
they have already organized a big graduation party for the girl, and the guests
are already invited. They are concerned about what people will say if their
daughter doesnt graduate.
Finally, the teacher realizes that the principal cannot be convinced. Because
he is her boss, she gives the girl a passing mark, but she also gives him a
letter in which she affrms her position and says that it goes against her ethical
standards. She also keeps a copy of the letter. Later, a colleague informs the
teacher that the girl is a member of the principals wifes family.
CASE 15 PROFESSIONAL JEALOUSY
The English department needs a new head of department. Anyone on staff
who is interested should apply and be interviewed. There are seven teachers
in the department, all of which are ladies. Four of the seven teachers in the
department apply for the job. All are given equal opportunity, but the principal
and the director are not completely satisfed with any of the candidates. They
decide to interview several applicants whose CVs are on fle. After a long
process of elimination, they choose a man who has ample experience in the
programs the school offers and also has been head of department in another
prestigious institution. Two of the teachers who have been with the school
for several years feel very strongly about being denied the promotion. They
decide that they have been victims of sexual discrimination on the part of the
principle and director because they did not want a woman in charge.
Soon, the ladies begin speaking badly about their new boss. They spread
rumors that he is not qualifed, that he does not have the profle to teach in a top
school, that he does not know how to run the department, and so forth. They
make repeated complaints to the principlal, who in turn asks the other teachers
in the department what they think. He also visits the teachers classes and even
goes to a department meeting. The teacher has been to the principals offce
with some very interesting proposals to improve learning and revise programs.
From what the principal can see, the new head of department is doing a good
job, and the other members of the department reported the same.

The next time the two teachers go to his offce to complain about the same
issues, the principal tells them that he has followed up on their concerns, and
that frankly he is satisfed with the effciency of the head of department. The
46 47
two ladies go away very displeased. Again they begin to comment with the
staff that the principal is prejudice against women. Why else, they say, would
he insist on keeping the teacher if he were not professionally capable? This
rumor reaches the principal, and he calls the two women in to ask them about
it. Of course they deny knowing anything about this, and act horrifed that he
would think such a thing about them.
About a month later, one of the two teachers comes to the principals offce
and insists that he take drastic action against the head of English. She says
that she wants him fred immediately, or she will place a law suit against him
for sexual harassment. She accuses the teacher of insinuating that they would
get along better if she would only be a bit nicer to him, and that maybe they
could go out for dinner. She says all of this with tears and great sentiment. She
explains that she had noticed how he always looks at her and that more than
once he has tried to talk to her alone.
Given the seriousness of the situation, the principal calls in the head of
department, who is a seemingly happily married man whose two sons
are in the school. The poor man is surprised and horrifed. He denies any
such accusations. He clarifes that he has tried to talk to the teacher alone
concerning her attitude and wants to dialogue to see if he can somehow break
the ice with her and the other teacher. However, he has never asked her out,
he has never said anything out of order, and he has no interest in her other
than trying to make a better atmosphere in the department. He insists that he
only suggested that they have a cup of coffee together in the staff room to try
to discuss the problems they were having.
Things calm down for awhile, but some months later, the new teaching
loads for the next school year are assigned and the two teachers are to teach
middle school classes. They are very upset because they consider that they
should continue with their classes in the upper grades. The other lady teacher
comes to the principal and says that she has kept quiet, but that she too has
been harassed by the head of department. According to her he is a terrible
womanizer, who tries to use his status to obligate the female members of the
department to collaborate with his sexual advances. She insists that he should
not have his contract renewed.

This time the principal, who has not been able to prove any of the
accusations the two women have made, again calls in the other members of
the department one by one and interrogates them about the situation. None
of the others agree with the accusations. They say that they have never heard
the man say anything out of order to anyone or has anyone ever said that he
has. According to them, he is a good professional, a well prepared leader, and
an example of ethical behavior. In fact, he has done a great deal to better the
organization of the department. They point out that he would be a fool to act
differently while his two sons are in the school with full tuition benefts. They
insinuate that it might be better to question the intentions of the other two
teachers, as they have been hostile from the moment they knew that they had
not been considered for the job.
The head of department, when questioned, responds that he is fed up
with both of them because they have tried to sabotage every initiative he has
presented. They only speak to him when criticizing him or complaining about
something. Now, they are trying everything they can to ruin his reputation as
a professional. They report that they did hear him ask them to sit down with a
cup of coffee in the staff room to talk about what was bothering them.

The principal decides to meet with all of them together and get to the
bottom of the problem. The ladies again deny that they have been hostile to
the teacher. They insist that he has tried to talk to them privately. His answer
is that indeed he has, because he did not want the whole department involved
in the discussions. The frst teacher threatens that she will place a law suit and
have him investigated, and that the principal will have to answer for his lack of
concern in the matter. The second teacher is less aggressive, but dedicates
herself to spreading the rumor among all of the teachers in the school.
48 49
CASE 16 STRIKE!
Teachers in a small private school have frequently suffered from irregularities
regarding their pay. Repeatedly their monthly salary has not appeared
deposited in their accounts on the designated date. One month it was three
days late, but the following month it was a week and a half late. As a result,
staff morale has suffered. People become extremely anxious as pay day
approaches, thinking that they will not be able to meet their own obligations
because bills have to be paid whether or not the school pays on time.
For the third month straight, when pay day comes, nothing has been put in
their accounts. The following day the teachers are furious. Some people are
extremely affected. One teacher needs to go to the doctor, and she is rejected
at her health center because the school has not paid her health insurance
for two months. Another teacher has been threatened by his landlord for not
paying his rent on time. He was told that if it happened again, he would have
to move out. Yet another, a single mother, cannot pay the day care center for
her child, and her electricity will be cut in two days if she does not pay.
The teachers, who have been complaining among themselves, to the
principals, and director, now begin to let their feelings known to their students,
particularly those of grade nine. The students are angry at what they perceive
as a great injustice. They form a committee and ask for an appointment with the
director. They demand that the teachers be paid on time and this must include
the teachers health insurance. The director tells them that he understands
their concern and that he has spoken to the administrator/owner on more than
one occasion. He explains that sometimes unforeseen inconveniences which
have to be dealt with arise and that these unfortunately sometimes affect the
fnancial stability of the institution. He assures the students that the situation
will be attended to. He does not tell them that he is concerned about the fnal
destination of the schools income, and that he has had several unpleasant
conversations with the administrator. He makes a written complaint this time.
Once again, the director comments the situation to the administrator and
once again he is told that the teachers will be paid and it will not happen
again. In fact, payment is made nearly ten days after the scheduled payday.
As always, once the money comes in, the teachers calm down for a couple
of weeks until the next payday is near. As the month draws to a close, the
tension rises. Payday arrives and nothing has been deposited in the teachers
accounts. They are outraged. They threaten to quit, but in reality, where will
they fnd jobs in the middle of the school year?
Five days later, some students come to the directors offce and inform
him that no teachers have gone to class after lunch break. The students are
unsupervised. Some are in the classrooms, some are wondering around the
building and some are outside on the playground.
The director leaves his offce immediately and locates the teachers sitting
in the staffroom. They have resolved not to teach the afternoon classes in
protest for the delay in their pay. The director tells the teachers that he has
done all in his power to better the situation. He has expressed their concerns
to the administrator, who always assures him that teachers will be paid soon
and that it will not happen again. He clearly understands and sympathizes with
them because his salary is also delayed. Nonetheless, he demands that they
go to their classrooms immediately and initiate classes. He argues that this
is not a professional way to address their problem. The teachers insult him
and accuse him of protecting the administrator. He makes several very bad
enemies that day.
A few teachers go to his offce after classes and apologize for having taken
part in the strike. The director forms a committee of six teachers from all of
the sections of the school and accompanies them to the administrators offce
where they make their complaints. The administrator responds that there is no
problem. If they need money he will pay them immediately in cash. The rest of
the teachers receive their pay in their bank accounts the following day.
50 51
CASE 17 GAME OVER
Not long after the Easter vacation, the boys from grades nine, ten and
eleven request permission to organize a traditional soccer tournament. The
different groups of boys will form teams and play off for a championship. Each
boy will contribute a small fee to be able to take part and with the proceeds
they will buy a small trophy. The winning team will go out to have a hamburger
together. This tournament is a school tradition which began nearly ten years
ago. There has never been any type of problem with the event in the past,
and it has been very entertaining. The head of Physical Education will be in
charge of the organization as usual, and the games will be played during the
lunch hour. The only thing different this year is that the boys request that they
be allowed to include one teacher in their lineup. They argue that this will lead
to better integration of students and teachers. The head of Physical Education
and the principle see no problems with this.
The tournament begins without any diffculty, and indeed it seems that the
students are much more interested in the games now that each team has a
teacher in the lineup. All goes very well, and nearly all of the students gather
every day at the soccer feld after lunch to watch the games. Eight teams begin
the tournament and one by one are eliminated until only two are left, The Lazy
Bones from grade nine and The Lemons from grade ten.
When the fnal game is about to begin there is a lot of excitement building
up, and all of the students have their favorite. Those in favor of The Lazy
Bones bring yellow tee-shirts to wear during the game and those backing The
Lemons wear green tee-shirts. Both of the participating teachers are excellent
players who practice regularly.
The game is hard played and neither team manages to make a goal. When
time runs out and the score is tied 0 / 0, it is agreed that there must be a winner.
They decide to play sudden death overtime until one of the teams make a goal.
Both teams are playing their best and the crowd is cheering wildly. Suddenly
The Lazy Bones make a fast break down the feld and, despite a desperate
attempt to stop them, fre the ball into the goal of The Lemons. The crowd
cheers wildly. However, one of the referees blows his whistle and annuls the
goal due to a foul made by one of the team members just before the ball is
fred into the goal. Needless to say the reaction is violent, but despite protests
the second referee sustains the call.
In the heat of the argument one of the boys from The Lazy Bones punches
one of the boys from The Lemons, knocking him down. At once the rest of
his team begins to fght with the members of The Lazy Bones. The Head of
Physical Education runs out on the feld to separate what has now become
a brawl involving all of the team members. The two teacher members begin
punching each other and students alike. When the head of Physical Education
grabs them and yells at them to stop, both turn on him and knock him to the
ground. At this incredible display, the boys on both teams stop fghting and
gather around to cheer their teacher player. All of the other teachers run onto
the feld to help keep order. Finally they are able to break up the fght.
Thankfully none of the students are injured; however the head of Physical
Education has a broken lip and is bleeding. One teacher player ends up with a
black eye and the other teacher has a scrape on his cheek. The students are
amazed at the unsavory display of bad sportsmanship. The principal annuls
the game. There will be no winner and each boy will have his inscription
money returned. The principal announces that no teachers will be allowed to
participate in any type of student competition again.

After taking several versions of the incident and interviewing the participants,
the discipline committee meets to determine the consequences that each
person involved will suffer. The community handbook stipulates that physical
violence will result in suspension from school and recorded in the records of
the offenders. Some of the boys who were involved start to complain about
unfairness because they think that the teachers will not be punished. They
are quickly informed by the principal that the teachers will undergo the same
process as the students. Their sanction will be longer and without pay. This
seems to satisfy the students who feel that their teachers, given their position
of adult authority, have given a very bad example.
When the teachers are informed that they are suspended for a week without
pay and a written report put will be in their fles, they become very angry and
insult the principal. They accuse the discipline committee of being prejudiced
against them and threaten the principal with a complaint to the Ministry.
Nonetheless, the decision is not changed. They are given several opportunities
52 53
to refect with the principal and the director; one of them accepts that he acted
in an unprofessional manner and apologizes, but the other becomes more
aggressive, not only with the principal but also with other members of staff who
try to reason with him. He insists that he has a right to defend himself and his
point of view.
CASE 18 UNHEALTHY CONVIENCE
It is brought to the attention of the head of Science that the department
has gone over their designated budget for paper and computer ink. When the
head of department requests yet another package of paper and another ink
cartridge the coordinator of the resource center questions her about the unusual
quantity of supplies the department uses. She says that it is impossible that
her staff has used the generous allotment of supplies already, and there are
still four months left in the school year. She has no explanation. She says that
her department uses a lot of resources because it is the largest department in
school. There are twelve teachers in all.

The head of department is faced with bringing up the point on the agenda of
the next department meeting. She expresses her confusion at the complaints
from the resource center and asks if anyone has any idea as to what could be
happening. They suggest that perhaps the new girl working in the resource
center is confused with the different department codes and is charging the
Science department for another departments orders by mistake. Another
suggestion is that they have done the inventory wrong at some point. She
answers that she has already questioned them about these possibilities.
Jose Manuel is one of the most personable and well liked teachers on the
staff. He is always ready to lend a helping hand to any of his colleagues,
and his students love him. He is presently writing his thesis for his masters
degree, and diligently does his research while never letting his dedication to
his students fall behind. Jose Manuel is quiet during the discussion, and this is
not normal for him, as he is always the most active participant in the meetings.
54 55
Finally someone asks him what he thinks. He looks a little uncomfortable,
and says that he really has no idea about what could be happening with the
supplies.
The next day he brings in a package of paper and a new ink cartridge and
places them beside the computer. He tells the head of department that he will
provide what the department need for the remainder of the school year. He has
been taking paper and ink home to work on his thesis. He uses a lot of paper
printing resources for the thesis and printing the rough drafts. He admits that
his wife, who works at another school, uses the home computer to print the
materials she needs as well. It has been much easier to just pick up what he
needs on his way out of the offce than to make a trip to the supply store which
is a considerable distance from where he lives. He apologizes for having been
abusive with the departments supplies, and says he was unaware that the
school actually monitored the use of the materials.
The head of department thanks him for his honesty and she does not
report him to the directives. The head tells the rest of the department that
the problem has been solved but not what happened or who is responsible.
They never realize that someone had been taking their supplies and Jose
Manuel continues in the school. The department never exceeds their budget
for supplies again.
CASE 19 TUTORING TROUBLES
An experienced English teacher is asked to give some tutoring to a student
who has recently transferred into grade three and needs to catch up with her
classmates. The girls teacher at school specifes that the child needs help
with all aspects of English and should receive tutoring until these problems
are overcome. She is concerned that another student in her class who is not
at grade level will hold back the whole class. She points out that the room is
too small as it is and she cant understand why the girl wasnt put in the other
teachers group.
The tutor sends a note to the teacher after the frst class asking for concrete
suggestions and the childs book so she can see exactly what the class is
working on. The teacher never responds. The tutor begins to work with the
girl for one hour three times a week. At frst the girl is very shy and afraid to
speak in English. She says she does not pronounce well and that she doesnt
know enough words to communicate. She gradually reveals that she doesnt
like to talk because her teacher says things about her in front of the class and
her classmates laugh.
After two weeks of tutoring the child arrives to her tutoring classes happy
and eager. She is working hard and with motivation. She is speaking without
fear and many of the common mistakes she has been making in her written
work are becoming less frequent. In the third week the child tells the tutor that
she has to write a report of four paragraphs about a feld trip the class took to
a local museum. The tutor explains how to do the assignment, and cautions
the child to revise her work and try to identify any mistakes in grammar, word
order, spelling, and verb agreement, and to correct them. The student fnishes
56 57
the work with very few mistakes and with very little help from her tutor. The tutor
tells her she can be very proud of herself and the child goes home confdent
and happy.
The next day she proudly presents her assignment to her teacher at school.
Two days later the teacher returns the papers to the students. The girl receives
her paper and begins to cry. The teacher has given her a failing grade and has
written in large red letters, This is too good to be your own work. Your tutor did
it for you and therefore you have a 1.0 for cheating. The child is humiliated in
front of her classmates again.
When she gets home she shows the paper to her mother, who becomes
angry and makes an appointment with the teacher. The teacher tells the
mother that they should not continue the extra classes because the tutor is
not helping the child at all. She accuses the tutor of doing the work and giving
it to the child to turn in. She says that the child should not be in her group and
that she would do better if transferred to second grade. The little girl promises
her mother that this is not true. She says that she is sure she can do well in
English, but that her teacher doesnt believe her. The child begs her mother
not to suspend her tutoring.
When they go to the next class the mother tells the tutor about the experience
and shows her the girls paper with the teachers note and grade. She says
that she has no intention of suspending the classes because her daughter is
much more confdent, there has been considerable improvement in the girls
English, and most importantly, she is HAPPY coming to class. After a complaint
to the primary principal about the teacher, the child fnishes the school year
successfully at grade level.
CASE 20 BOOMING BUSINESS
The principal of a medium sized private school is approached on Open
Day by an angry mother, who is unhappy that her son is being forced to take
expensive tutoring classes in both English and Mathematics three days a
week. She informs the principal that the two teachers have sent home letters
insisting on the need for the extra classes and informing her of the location of
the offce where he is to receive the lessons, and the exaggerated fee to be
paid. According to the letter the boy will not be able to pass the two subjects
if he does not take the tutoring. The mother asks the principal what kind of
a school, in spite of paying a high tuition, requires paid extra classes as well.
The principal fnds the complaint strange and disturbing. He revises the
grades for the last marking period and fnds that a large number of students
are failing the subjects. He decides to question the teachers about the high
failing rate and the tutoring. They tell him that some students will not pass
the year if they dont do something to bring themselves up to class level, and
they have recommend a tutoring center for that purpose. They explain that the
students are very weak, probably because they have not been well prepared
during their elementary years. The principal reminds the teachers that there
is a formal policy and procedure for requiring tutoring and it has not been
followed. The letters the parents received are not the form letters usually sent
and no authorization has been given. He warns the teachers to follow the
policy and to revise the curriculum. If extra classes are necessary for a large
group the school will arrange something.
Shortly after that two more parents call to complain about the same situation
with their children. They have received letters from teachers requiring tutoring
to help their daughters bring up their grades in English and Mathematics.
One of the letters is from the Mathematics teacher and the other is from the
English teacher. The principal has often seen three teachers together during
58 59
lunch and whenever they have free time. Sometimes they come in early to
school and meet in one of the classrooms before the students arrive. The
principal decides it is time to question them one by one. All three tell the same
story. They say that the letters had been sent before the principal spoke to
them the frst time, and that now they are following the offcial school tutoring
policy. The next week yet another parent calls to complain. His son is required
to take extra classes in English, or he will fail the subject. He confrms the
location of the center and says the boys English teacher sent the letter. The
principal asks the parent who the tutor will be. The parent responds that the
boys English teacher from school will do the tutoring herself. He mentions that
four of the schools teachers have an offce for the purpose.
The teachers are questioned and they confrm that they have an offce
and that they are setting up a business together. Although they insist that the
majority of the students taking classes are from other schools, they cannot
deny that they are requiring tutoring from some of their own students because
the principal has the letters and the testimony of the parents. As it turns out,
they have more than 25 students from their own classes, and more than 15
from other teachers classes. Only a small number of students are from other
schools. He warns the teachers to either stop tutoring their own students or
they will lose their jobs. They answer that there was nothing the school can
do if they want to have a business outside of school hours. They speak badly
about the principal and spread rumors that he is against the teachers.
CASE 21 SOFT SUPERVISER
Frank is a tenth semester pre-service teacher who is engaged in his practice
teaching. He is successful due to his positive attitude and his ability to relate
to children. Ms. Johnson, his supervising teacher, fnds him very charming
and likable. Although she has some concerns, she is considerate of the effort
he is making because it is not an easy semester for him. He is still taking two
evening courses at the university which are obligatory for graduation. He also
has a part time job at a nearby drugstore to help with his living expenses. He
seems to be involved in a serious relationship because she notices that he is
always on his cell phone with his girlfriend.
Ms. Johnson needs to monitor Franks performance, but she is not able to
keep in contact on a regular basis. She offers to meet with Frank early in the
morning before classes begin, but he usually fails to get there on time. As the
semester goes on, she looks for him during lunch time when he is supposed
to be on duty, but his colleague complains that he seldom shows up for duty.
When she checks his schedule for parent meetings she notices that he has
not met with any parents in spite of the fact that he reported that several of his
students were doing poorly. Ms. Johnson decides to drop in on one of his sixth
grade technology classes. The children are working on the computers, but
Frank is nowhere to be found. After about ten minutes he comes in, and says
that he was taking an urgent call in the hallway. She warns him to never leave
the children alone. Later she searches for him in the staff room but is not able
to locate him. One teacher tells her that he is always in the library doing his
university assignments when he doesnt have a class. When she fnds him she
asks to see his lesson plans for his technology classes. He makes a feeble
60 61
attempt to search in his bag, and then he says that he must have mislaid them.
Ms. Johnson doubts that he has any because he never makes an attempt to
show her anything, but he always has a reasonable excuse if questioned.
Frank brags to some of the teachers that before the semester began he
interviewed and was hired for the next school year in a private school in another
city where he has several friends. He tells them that he and his girlfriend plan
to move there as soon as he fnishes the semester.
Near the end of the term Ms. Johnson has to write a candid report on Frank
for the university. She knows that a truthful report will probably cause him to
fail the teaching practice requirement and this will detain his graduation and
make it impossible for him to take the job. She does not want to cause him
any problems, and is faced with the dilemma of either telling the truth or letting
it go. She decides to emphasize his better qualities and only mention some
minor inconveniences.
CASE 22 VICIOUS TONGUES
An Art teacher, who has been working at the school for more than fve years,
is well liked and very successful with student exhibitions. He is known for his
enthusiasm and ability to get the best from his students. At age thirty seven
he is still single, and quite charming. He has an active social life, but it seems
that he doesnt have a steady relationship, or at least no one knows of one.
About half way through the school year, he begins to lose weight and his
level of motivation declines. He becomes fatigued during class and has to sit
down. This is not characteristic of him at all. Colleagues advise him to see a
doctor, but he insists that it is just a bad virus and that he will get some rest
during the Christmas vacation. However when he returns from the break, he
is notably thinner and paler.
He asks for an appointment with his principal, and gives notice that he will
be leaving the school. He agrees to work the legal period for notice because
he does not want his health to interfere with the students progress. When
questioned about his health, he admits that he is facing a very serious and
possibly fatal condition. He begs the principal not to share this information with
anyone, yet he is very evasive about the nature of his illness. The principal of
course complies, but he is forced to fnd an acceptable replacement to take
the Art classes as soon as possible.
When he asks his secretary to have Human Resources check CVs on
fle and have an advertisement put in the local newspaper, she immediately
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conveys the principals request. There is another teacher in the offce at the
time, and she overhears the conversation. She goes directly back to her
department and tells the teachers there what she heard. Soon the entire staff
is speculating about what is wrong with the teacher. Another young man who
teaches in another department comments that he has often seen the man with
another gentleman in the bar where he goes on Saturday nights. He says that
he has never seen any women with them. Before the next school day is over,
the entire staff is guessing at the nature of the teachers sexual preferences
and most of all about his illness.
Within a week, three parents visit the offce of the principal and demand
that the teacher be fred immediately. They are afraid that he will engage in
improper conduct with their children or infect them with AIDS. The students
begin to murmur behind the teachers back. They enter class and scramble
for the places farthest away from the teachers desk, and make fun of the
students who have to occupy the seats nearest him. They whisper that the
teacher smells bad, and any boy who goes near him is accused of being gay.
The teacher is terribly humiliated and angry. He approaches the principal
and announces that he is leaving the school that same day. He threatens
to place a lawsuit against the principal and the school for propagating false
rumors about him. He reveals that his disease is due to a severe case of
parasites, and is not contagious.
The principal fnds it necessary to inform the staff, the students, and the
parents about the situation and clarify the truth. The teacher refuses an offer
made by the school to hold his job during convalescence, and he leaves the
school with full benefts and a considerable sum for indemnifcation.
CASE 23 WRONG CHOICE
A recently graduated teacher is very eager to begin his career. He has just
returned from a nice vacation and fnds that most of the schools where he
has applied have already completed their hiring for the school year. He only
has two options and he decides to take a job in an all girls school with a
strong religious orientation. Although he is uncomfortable with the philosophy
of the school, the pay is better than that of the other school that offered him a
position. Also, this school is recognized as being one of the best according to
national standards, and experience there will look good on his resume.
The frst day he slips out of the initial assembly which includes a religious
ceremony. He mentions to another teacher that he is an atheist and has
no use for anything religious and fnds it fastidious that he is expected to
be present. As the weeks go by several colleagues are disturbed by his
comments and sometimes vulgar jokes about the students. He makes it clear
that he thinks that only mixed education is of any value for social adaptation.
Frequent criticism of the directives makes his companions uncomfortable. In
fact another teacher asks him why he took the job in the frst place.
As time goes by, he begins to express his opinions in his classes. He
deliberately assigns tasks of investigation that support his convictions, and
organizes an extracurricular Philosophy Club in which he promotes his beliefs.
Fellow teachers are increasingly apprehensive about his intentions because
some of the students have told them that grades in his classes are very low
with exception of a few girls who openly agree with his point of view.
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Nearing Christmas break, one of the girls mothers makes an appointment
with the principal. Her concern is that her daughter has been refusing to
accompany the family to church, and this has become a family crisis. The
mother blames one particular teacher who is undermining the religious
orientation of the school. When ask which teacher, the mother indicates the
young man hired to teach Social Studies. Obviously the principal investigates
and several teachers confrm what the mother has said.
Curiously, the principal has also been told by the music teacher that the girl
and three of her friends refused to sing Christmas songs of a religious nature
in the traditional Christmas Concert. She decides to ask the girls about the
songs. All of the girls, who belong to the Philosophy Club, are quick to say that
it is not politically correct to make people hear or participate in something they
dont believe in. When questioned further, they admitted that the teacher had
made them aware of their rights.
3
Questions
Commentaries
and
Lessons
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CASE 1 OUT OF CONTROL
Questions for discussion:
What ethical problems can you identify in this case?
What do you think this teachers problem might be?
What corrective measures do you think should be taken?
Commentary:
The teacher is well versed in his subject and probably well-intentioned,
but has failed to comply with several of the terms of his contract. He is not
using English in his classes. He is not using all of the class time for productive
learning, and students are most certainly involved. The noise is disturbing
other classes and affecting learning in other areas. He is not doing his duty
at lunch time, therefore leaving students unsupervised and at risk. If students
should mention this situation to parents, the reputation of the profession and
the institution could be harmed. No doubt, other teachers, who do their jobs
properly, are murmuring about the situation and this affects the work climate.
As the teachers experience is with university students, he is a professional
in his feld but probably has no pedagogical preparation. He is having trouble
dealing with younger students who lack the maturity and interest of those at the
university. Not being able to control their behavior, he lets them do whatever
they want, and gives passing grades to avoid trouble. This teacher no doubt is
suffering. Having failed to maintain order in the classroom, he has decided to
give up trying and just put in his time.
The teacher should be informed of the complaints, and given verbal warning
concerning improper use of class time, the level of noise, the volleyball, the use
of Spanish in class, and his failure to do his assigned duty. The teacher should
be given advice about classroom management and be assigned a colleague
who can monitor and support him. If the problems continue, he should be
given written warning. If there is no improvement, he might be suspended for
a few days without pay. If this fails to bring about a better performance, it would
be impossible to keep this teacher on staff.
Lesson:
If you fnd yourself having diffculty with a group of students, dont be afraid to
get some advice from colleagues or your line manager. Remember everyone
has to begin somewhere and learn through experience. Follow the advice as
best you can. If you notice that someone else is having trouble try to help them
before complaining to the directives.
CASE 2 WORRIED MOTHER
The moral/ethical faults here are evident, What are they?
Why are the mothers complaints not taken seriously at frst?
Is this a problem that the group director can handle alone?
Does the head of department fail ethically?
How could a situation like this affect the reputation of the school?
Commentary:
This is an extremely delicate situation. The faults of the teacher are easily
identifed, and no one will argue that there are moral/ethical issues here. Having
students who are minors to your home to study is not an ethical practice,
especially when parents do not know. Allowing (or worse inducing) students
to use any psychoactive substance is a criminal offence. All school codes,
and common sense, dictate that a romantic relationship with a student is not
acceptable, especially when the student is a minor. This is also a criminal
offence. It is likely that those reading the case will classify it as Red. However,
the moral/ethical involvement of others in the story may not be so obvious.
The group director did the right thing in informing this concern to the
head of department. It was not his place to try to help or fx the problem,
but the fact that the students might be at risk required him to tell someone
who could take action. It is very common for over protective parents to take
unwarranted concerns to school, and sometimes teachers become immune to
the complaints of these parents who are chronic in their exaggeration of their
childs diffculties. However, given the nature of this complaint where a child
might be exposed to danger, both the head of department and the principal
failed at the beginning by ignoring it.
The head of department is faced with the problem of choosing to support his
friend or taking the concern to the principal. Sometimes even the people we
most trust can be involved in things that are not correct. Given the seriousness
of the concern, he should not have tried to cover for his friend and should have
tried to fnd the truth. By not taking action he becomes an accomplice for his
friend. He would be liable if any harm came to a child.
The schools Community Handbook surely mentions the use of psychoactive
substances and teacher student involvement as improper behavior. Academic
learning does not seem to be impacted negatively in this case, but other things
that the students are learning are an issue. The high risk involved for students
is obviously the most worrisome issue, and requires immediate attention.
Needless to say, the reputations of the teachers, the profession and the
school are in extreme jeopardy. It is human nature to retell rumors, and the
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rumors in the greater community would involve not just a particular teacher,
because when repeating this type of event most people will refer to THE
TEACHERS at THAT SCHOOL. For this reason, there is no information or
feedback given to the group director or any of the other members of staff.
The issue is confronted quietly by the directives, who knew that the less
everyone talked and speculated the better it would be for everyone. The fact
that the teacher does not return to the school the following term is an indicator
that he was fred. Also, the fact that the group director noticed that students
stopped going home with the teacher indicates that the matter was handled
effectively. The absence of the mother in the school was probably suggested
by the directives to avoid her having to answer any questions or making any
comments to anyone else.
Lesson:
Never ignore a serious complaint made by a parent if students may be at
risk. Dont try to fx it yourself because you are not qualifed or in a position of
responsibility to take further action, other than informing someone who can.
Tell ONLY your line manager, and if he/she does not respond properly, go to
the next level. Confdentiality is of the greatest importance.
CASE 3 MATH MONSTER
In what ways did the teacher behave unethically, and what are the
effects?
In your opinion did the Head of the School act in the proper way? What
might he have done to avoid the situation?
How do you think the school climate was affected?
Commentary:
The head of the school seems to have been over confdent that his
reencountered friend was telling the truth about her qualifcations. He probably
failed to check her references. The teacher said that she had taught at many
schools, but she did not defne at what level. She said that she had studied
at Oxford, but that does not mean that she obtained her Masters degree.
The Head is responsible for making sure that the people he hires are not
misrepresenting their qualifcations, and that they are able to do the job that
he needs to cover. The teacher misled her friend because she wanted the job,
and the head believed her.
The teacher declines to teach the upper grades at the beginning because
she has no experience with them, and probably her knowledge of the
mathematics required at that level is defcient. Her bossy attitude is a natural
defense mechanism for covering her lack of preparation for what the job
required. There is no excuse for a supervisor to humiliate subordinates, or
to take decisions that will directly affect their work without consulting them.
The work climate in the department will become toxic, and this will affect the
teachers attitudes and eventually their productivity. In fact she is responsible
for two good teachers deciding to leave the school. She also interferes with
other departments. The effect on the school climate is widespread, as parents
are also complaining, and the students are aware of this. This has a negative
impact on the reputation of the school.
Another thing that the teacher is not qualifed for is the elaboration of the
timetable (a tedious and very complicated task), which a computer program
can only cover in general terms. She did not ask for help with this because
she didnt want anyone to know that she didnt know how to do it. The results
are mistakes and confusion at the beginning of the next school year that effect
learning and the school climate.
Lesson:
It is unethical to misrepresent your qualifcations. You will be more appreciated
if you tell the truth about your experience and studies. If you tell a lie, you will
either be caught when your references are checked or you will be discovered
when you are unable to cope with the required tasks.
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CASE 4 BUSINESS IS BUSINESS
In your opinion what is unethical about this case?
Is learning affected in some way?
Do you consider that students might be at risk in any way?
What disciplinary consequences might be in order?
Commentary:
This teacher is taking advantage of his privilege of being able to leave the
school during class hours in order to attend the social service project, and he
is using this school time to organize an excursion for personal gain. Tempting
as this may be, it is not acceptable. The teacher is being paid for his complete
dedication to his school work during the school day, whether it is in class,
invigilation, working at his desk, or attending the social service project.
His students learning is affected because he is arriving late to his class.
Even if he has told the students that he might be late and given them work to
do, it is not likely that they will behave in an obedient and mature fashion when
left unattended.
The students are at risk. Leaving children of any age unsupervised can
result in an accident or direct injury, in which case the absent teacher is
directly responsible. This could result in the schools reputation and that of the
teachers being damaged.
The teacher might fnd himself facing a suspension without pay which is
recorded in his fle, or even lose his job.
Lesson:

Never leave children unsupervised. One can never presume that nothing
will happen. The school is paying you to use the required time for doing the
job for which you have been hired. You might sacrifce your job security for
something that is not worth it, or only temporary.
CASE 5 CULTURAL CLASH
What aspects of ethical conduct are in question in this case?
In your opinion what is the most unacceptable aspect of their behavior?
Discuss the impact on student learning.
Commentary:
Obviously the family came to the school with the best of intentions. Both
teachers are well educated and experienced. They get along well with everyone
and their students are learning. The problem here is the lack of adaptability
and respect for the customs of the community they have joined. Their attitude
is, This is the way we are and we wont change. Everyone else has to accept
us. They are ready to fght and attack when they feel offended by the jokes
and the attitude of their childrens classmates, but are unwilling to accept that
their unpleasant odor and aspect might be offensive as well. This also has a
negative impact on the image of the school. The most disheartening part of
this situation is how their children suffer, even to the point of being bullied and
engaging in violence.
When they decide to leave, they purposely do not give advance notice to
the school so that arrangements can be made to replace them. The school
has given them a work opportunity, and has a right to expect an ample warning
when they intend to leave. Leaving the students without teachers and their
colleagues to cover their classes until the situation is resolved is their way of
taking revenge. In doing this, they take revenge not only on those who they
felt offended by but also on all of the innocent students and teachers who had
nothing to do with their situation. This directly affects the learning process of
the students, and children are affected by a sudden change in their teachers
and feel abandoned when this happens.
The school cannot give positive recommendations for these teachers in the
future because they abandoned their posts without prior notice.
Lesson:
One of the worst things a teacher can do is to abandon their post without
giving suffcient notice for the school to hire an adequate replacement. This is
a basic courtesy to any employer. Unless of course there is a circumstance
beyond your control that demands that you leave, you should always give
notice well in advance. If you sign a contract you should try to adapt and
complete it. If you have doubts, you should not take the job in the frst place.
Remember that you should always consider how children might be affected.

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CASE 6 MUSIC MISHAP

What particular problems does this teacher have?
Discuss the ways in which this situation has affected the climate of the
class.
How do think the situation affects students learning?
Are any students in danger?
How do you think the situation can be resolved?
How should the girls be treated?
In your opinion should the teacher have his contract renewed for the
next school year?
Commentary:
The teacher is an excellent musician but a very poor classroom manager.
The main problem is that he takes great interest in the talented students who
are interested in learning music and dedicates class time to the preparation of
the different events and to developing the talent of the students with ability. The
school has the obligation to provide all students with enrichment in all areas in
spite of their abilities and preferences. The teacher is not capable of handling
a normal group of adolescents, of which most think his class to be a relaxation
period. In spite of many talks with the principal and suggestions given, he is
unable to adjust his methods. The students simply win. The teacher suffers
greatly and loses his job in the process as well as coming very close to ruining
his reputation. The principal realizes that the teacher would be valuable to a
music institute or as a tutor and is willing to give him a good reference for that
purpose.
The girls should be disciplined for their attitude toward the teacher, class
disturbance, and their provocative behavior. They have nearly ruined the
reputation of an innocent person through false accusations. Once a rumor
involving the S word gets started, it is very diffcult to repair the damage. The
girls parents may be in disagreement and angry that the school has accused
their daughters of such conduct, but a well managed disciplinary process must
be applied.
Lesson:
If you fnd yourself having trouble with discipline, seek some advice and be
honest about what is happening. If you are given some good advice, at least
try it. It is important not to let things get out of hand.
CASE 7 MONEY MATTERS
What might motivate the teacher to include her daughters name on the
list of nominees for the scholarship?
Does the counselor have any fault in this situation?
How do you think the director should have proceeded?
Why do you think the counselor and other teachers are not informed of
the outcome?
How might this have affected the reputation and the climate of the
school?
Commentary:
The fault of the fellow teacher in seeking personal gain in the form of a
scholarship for her daughter is obviously extremely serious. That she was
not fred immediately requires some consideration. Given the fact that an
investigation from the Secretary of Education was under way, it is probable
that the school directives felt that a scandal of this nature would be harmful for
the staff and the school. Things were dealt with quietly, and no one ever knew
if any disciplinary process was carried out. The teacher had been in the school
for many years and was highly esteemed by the students, parents, staff and
alumni. It is most likely that she was quietly asked to resign at the end of the
school year. This would give a person with an otherwise impeccable career of
service to the community an opportunity to search for another job elsewhere.
The counselor, who had done a good job in selecting the candidates and
keeping her records, should never have eliminated the girl from the process
without consulting her parents. Full scholarship at a top university represents
a great deal of money for the family, and decisions of this nature must not be
taken by students without their parents knowledge. When parents discover
such a situation, the child will probably not want to tell them that he/she is to
blame, thus they immediately accuses the personnel of the school of foul play,
causing eminent danger to the reputation of staff and institution.
Lesson:
Where personal gain is involved never try to qualify for it under false
pretenses. If you qualify for a beneft without confict of interests, go for it. If you
dont qualify, dont try, especially if you risk getting someone else in trouble.
Remember that your integrity is the best thing you have. Dont jeopardize it.
Dont ever take a students word for it where there is monetary interest involved.
Remember that parents and kids dont always agree.
74 75
CASE 8 BITTER BORROWING
How would you qualify the intentions of this teacher?
In your opinion in what ways did he fail?
Comment on the consequences of this teachers problem.
Commentary:
One important issue here is the teachers lack of concern for the school rules.
He is clearly aware that expensive personal articles should not be brought to
school. He ignores the rule and incites a student to ignore it as well. The
message to a large number of students is that it is OK to jump school rules.
The teachers inexperience here is probably a factor. He does not foresee the
possible danger in not locking his room for an hour, and doesnt want to have
to look for a maintenance person. He almost forgets the situation when he
goes to have coffee rather than return directly to the classroom after lunch.
This type of negligence can be very detrimental.
The disturbance caused to the entire section, when classes are interrupted
to search for the missing Wii has a negative impact on learning. The owner of
the Wii was exposed to the potential danger of being robbed on the way to and
from home. Other students were signaled as suspects and interrogated, thus
causing their good name to be in danger. Last but not least, the good name
of the school and community suffers a negative impact. The teacher suffers a
considerable monetary loss as well.
.
Lesson:
School rules are there for a reason. Get familiar with them and follow
them. Dont ever leave the classroom empty without locking the door because
stealing isnt the only danger in this situation. Negligence can be very expensive.
CASE 9 DANGEROUS ADDICTION

How do you think the teacher broke the code of ethics?
Why are the teachers personal interests not appropriate for a school
environment.
How can the good image of the school be affected?
Have his fellow teachers broken the code of ethics through negligence?
Commentary:
The teacher is using school work time and facilities to pursue his personal
interests, which needless to say are not appropriate for the school environment.
Students are placed in risk of exposure to inappropriate information, and,
considering the extent of the teachers addiction, could eventually be placed
in physical danger as well. Students have access to the offce and it is almost
inevitable that some of them have noticed what is happening. Students have
probably commented on the situation among themselves.
The colleagues who share the offce have noticed and have kept quiet even
though they have probably felt uncomfortable. They prefer not to tell on their
fellow teacher rather than risk getting involved and have to face the rest of the
teachers. They do not consider the danger to students or the good name of the
institution. The reputations of the teacher, his fellow teachers, and the school
are in jeopardy. The teachers in the department are guilty of being negligent
passive bystanders. In any situation as delicate as this, there exists a moral
obligation to inform the proper authorities.
Lesson:
When you notice something that might be harmful for the kids or the
community. CAREFULLY inform someone who can handle the problem. It is
your job as a moral agent not to ignore potentially dangerous situations.
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CASE 10 VACATION TEMPTATION
How do the parents of this student fail to educate their son?
Do you feel that they have treated the teacher with disrespect?
Do you think the teacher handles the situation in an ethical manner?
Is his conduct fair to the rest of his students?
Is there any other unethical behavior demonstrated?
Commentary:

This teacher fnds himself in a situation where he has been frst of all
threatened by parents. Their offer for a free vacation is too much for him to
reject. He not only has personal gain but has calmed angry parents who could
well have caused him a lot of trouble. However, in accepting the invitation he
has reinforced the bad example of the boys parents, and the boy has learned
that everyone has a price. The teacher trades his moral/ethical standards for
personal gain and to avoid having to defend himself. If the teacher had brought
in a higher authority to back him up in the situation, the parents would not have
offered the trip. One mistake is to have tried to handle the situation alone.
It is more than likely that the boys friends will learn about what happened.
Kids brag about how they manipulate the teacher. The teachers image with
his students is damaged. The reputation of the school and the profession
could be damaged as well, depending on how many people fnd out about the
situation.
There is another issue. The other teacher was happy to be paid for tutoring
the boy and using the test questions to do it! Both of these teachers have failed
ethically. The teachers were not caught or reprimanded for their unethical
behavior. Unfortunately, sometimes this happens.
Lesson:
There will be many circumstances in which you will be tempted to go
against your better judgment. You may even get away with it; however, you will
never be at peace with yourself as a moral agent whose responsibility it is to
demonstrate moral/ethical values and form good citizens for a better society.
Remember that your actions teach others, and kids follow the examples that
they see. Also, if the teacher had been caught, he would either have been
harshly reprimanded or lost his job. The teacher who did the tutoring would
also have been severely sanctioned.
CASE 11 CRADLE ROBBER
Questions for discussions:
Do you feel that the fellow teacher did the right thing in advising the
teacher to talk to the principal, or would it have been better to not give
an opinion of the teachers personal life?
Could a situation like this one possibly put the reputation of the teachers
and the school in jeopardy?
Do you consider the young man in question at risk?
How do you qualify the attitude of the boys parents?
Commentary
Although mutual attraction is quite common between teachers and older
students, the teacher should have had more common sense than to get involved
with a minor and a student at that. This IS professional suicide. The colleague
maintains confdentiality about the news, and her advice to talk to the principal
is well founded. She does not continue on her own to try to persuade the
teacher to quit the relationship because this could lead to a confict between
them. She also does not tell anyone else. Fortunately, the teacher follows the
advice. This saves the colleague the trouble of having to go to the principle
herself with the news and risk being called a tattletale or a snitch.
Fortunately, the teacher realizes the danger and decides not to pursue the
matter further. She is not given any sanction, and continues to work for the
school in good standing.
Lesson:
Dont get involved with students, especially minors. It is best to stick to
relationships with people from your own age group. If an attraction develops,
keep at a professional distance. DO NOT risk professional suicide.
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CASE 12 STIGMATIZED
Was it alright for the teachers to judge the students as a group?
What might have caused the group to get the reputation they had?
If you were one of their teachers what would you do to try to help them?
When we hear so many times that someone or a group is not good, do
we begin to believe it without verifying it for ourselves?
Commentary:
This case demonstrates a moral/ethical problem which is a collective action
rather that the action of just one person. People can be collectively cruel to
a person or a group if they do not take the time to judge for themselves. This
group had given some teachers a very hard time during grade 7. We have to
question the attitude of the grade 7 teachers because it seems that it is where
the problem had started. These teachers did everything they could to ruin the
reputation of the group, but little to try to change the situation. They talk about
some particular students, but always referred to the group.
The grade 8 teachers took it for granted that their colleagues were telling
the truth, and didnt bother to try to be positive with the group. Some innocent
students had their self esteem badly damaged. While the teachers took it for
granted that the class was bad, the students took it for granted that the teachers
hated them and didnt want to teach them. They too considered themselves
bad.
Teachers did a lot of talking about how bad the group was but did nothing to
try to better the situation. The groups form tutor should have taken an active
stand against the treatment his/her group was receiving, but this person only
added to their bad image. Teachers should have met a long time before to look
for strategies to improve the group. It will be very diffcult to motivate this group
in the future.
Lesson:
If you fnd yourself with a group that has a bad reputation as diffcult to
handle, try restorative practices: group circles, individual conferences, or
whatever it takes. Talk openly with other teachers for advice. Express your
concern but dont presume that the class is BAD.
Dont just believe other teachers opinion about students, see for yourself
and do your best to win them over. You will almost always fnd that if you
express concern and treat students with respect they will respond positively.
Remember to always allow them to keep their dignity, and keep yours.
CASE 13 TIPSY TEACHER
At what point do you think the teachers problem begins to affect her
professional conduct?
What are the ethical implications of her problem?
How would you classify the help that she receives from her friend?
For you what is the saddest part of this story?
Commentary:
The teacher has a serious problem with alcohol. She does not respect the
code of ethics or the school policies about bringing or consuming psychoactive
substances in school. She is not fulflling her responsibilities with her classes.
She often leaves students alone in the classroom, thus putting them at risk.
Her carelessness with important papers leads to the loss of admissions papers.
Imagine the reaction of the parents when told that their childs admission tests
are lost and the child will have to retake the exam. What image of the school
does this project?
The teacher puts in danger the well-being of her own children and seriously
affects the health of the youngest child.
When concern arises, the directives take action to try to help the teacher
but the teacher is not honest. Denial is often the result when a person is faced
with a problem of this nature. It is unethical and worse, however, when the
teachers best friend denies that she has a problem and lies to the directives.
This teacher is deliberately covering a dangerous situation which involves
students and the reputation of the school and the other teachers.
Some fellow teachers did the correct thing in reporting the problem to the
principal. The principal did the right thing in talking to the teacher on more
than one occasion, and also in offering her help personally and through the
psychologist. The principal kept the code of ethics regarding confdentiality
and defending the good name of the teacher and the school by being very
discrete in handling the situation. The teacher is counseled to seek support
and rehabilitation.
Lesson:
Do not withhold potentially harmful information about a colleague from those
who can handle the situation, especially when someone is at risk. If you are
asked, tell the truth. Also if you fnd yourself in an addictive problem, be honest
and get some help!
80 81
CASE 14 ORDERS FROM THE BOSS
In your opinion does the teacher act in a professional manner in dealing
with the girl?
If you were the girls teacher, what would you have done?
Does the teacher take precautions to defend her position?
How would you classify the conduct of the Principal?
Commentary:
This is a situation that is quite common. Parents will do almost anything
to keep their child from failing even when they know the child deserves it,
especially when graduation is at stake. Sooner or later, nearly all teachers
are faced with a similar situation, and things can become very diffcult. The
parents are usually responsible for the pressure on the teacher, but in this
case the principal also has a personal interest.
The teacher acts in the proper manner; the principal does not. The teacher
knows that the girl does not deserve to pass and that it is not fair to the other
students. She also is aware that the lesson the girl is learning is very bad.
When practically forced to pass the girl, the teacher writes a letter stating her
position and explaining that the decision to pass the girl was not hers. She has
the principal sign a copy, which she keeps. This will provide her with legal proof
that she acted professionally in the event that the situation is questioned by
other parents whose child did fail the year, and will give her some satisfaction
as a result.
Lesson:
Keep carefully written records of all parental meetings. This will prove
that you have informed parents in advance of the childs progress, and any
warning that you have given can be sustained. Have them sign the minutes of
the meetings. As for the principal, it is sometimes impossible to go against a
higher authority even when you know you are right. You probably dont want
your boss as an enemy if you intend to stay in that school. This does not mean
that you should change your values. Make it clear that you do not agree.

CASE 15 PROFESSIONAL JEALOUSY
What do you think made these two teachers act in the way they did?
How could this situation affect the working climate in the department?
What might the extended consequences of this situation be?
Why does the frst teacher not get her contract renewed?
Commentary:
This is a situation where the teachers involved feel that they have the right to
be promoted to head of department because of seniority, and they are resentful
that one of them is not named. They take out their frustration on the new head,
who happens to be the only man in the department. Their complaints are also
aimed at the principal and probably have nothing to do with their accusation of
male favoritism. They are angry about being rejected for the job and will stop at
nothing no matter who they hurt. They incur in moral/ethical misconduct which
is a bad example for their students, and uncomfortable situation for the other
members of the department, and puts the reputation of other professionals
and the institution in jeopardy. They promote a toxic climate..
The new head of department acts professionally. His intentions to speak
alone with the teacher are based on a real desire to better the working
relationship. He is also interested in making the working climate in the
department more pleasant for all of the members. He knows that friction in the
group will eventually be felt by the students.

The principal does the right thing in trying to fnd out the truth of the matter.
The accusation is very serious, and he must be certain before taking action. If
he fnds that there is truth in the accusations he will certainly fre the head. After
investigating he is comfortable that the head of department is well intentioned
and honorable. When he himself and the school are threatened with a law
suit based on false accusations,he realizes the accusing teacher is potentially
dangerous for the reputation not only of the teacher and himself, but for the
school. He acts in a responsible manner by terminating the teachers contract.
Lesson:
Professional jealousy is common especially when teachers feel threatened
or insecure about their work, or when they are overlooked for positions of
leadership, especially when these involve more money. This goes for all
jobs really. A new well qualifed employee is often received with skepticism
by members of staff who have been there longer, and it is a challenge for
that person to gain their confdence. Try to be open-minded and give the new
person a chance.
82 83
CASE16 STRIKE
What do you consider unethical about the way the teachers preceded
with their protest?
Do you think that the students should have been brought into the
dispute?
How might this incident affect the good name of the school, and how
will students feel?
How might the teachers have handled the situation in a better fashion?
Commentary:
The parents pay for the education of their children and legally have a right
to demand it, regardless of the situation between teachers and administration.
The children have a legal right to not have their educational process interrupted
by circumstances which are not their concern.
Children of all ages are running about the school without supervision and
are in real and present danger of physical harm by accident, quarrel or any
other circumstance. If someone gets hurt the teachers would be liable. A
teacher is frst and foremost responsible for the well being of his/her students,
particularly where their health and safety are in jeopardy.
Students should not be affected by or much less involved in labor disputes or
any other type of confict within the school. Students feel loyalty for their school
and they feel embarrassed when their school is not functioning properly. This
could affect their sense of belonging and self esteem.
The obvious unethical conduct and negligence leads to a situation where
trust is broken between the teachers and the director and between the director
and the administrator, as well as between the greater community and the
institution.
Lesson:
You have the right to defend and demand what is duly yours, but this must
never involve students or interrupt their educational process. There are other
means to handle the situation, a formal complaint to the Board of Education for
example would be legally binding and carried out in a dignifed manner.
CASE 17 GAME OVER
What impression of their teachers will the students have after this?
Do you agree with the principals decision to never again allow teachers
to participate in such events?
Why was one teacher fred at the end of the year and the other not?
Commentary:
The teachers give a terrible display of poor sportsmanship in what should
have been a healthy student competition focused on positive participation and
fair play. Their conduct is unprofessional and they put in jeopardy the good
name of the teachers, the school, and the profession.
The students and the teachers are in danger of physical harm. Their display
of violence is against every norm of good citizenship.
One of the teachers behaves grudgingly against the school directives and
refuses to acknowledge that what he has done was wrong. As a result, he
loses his contract. The other teacher is not fred because he recognizes his
mistake and apologizes.

It is worthy to mention that the students acted more maturely than the teachers
when the fght broke out. They stopped fghting and watched the teachers.
Their sense of justice is very acute. They immediately assumed the role of
judges and wanted the teachers punished in the same terms as themselves,
or worse. It is a shame that the principal took the decision to not allow any
further teacher participation in student activities, as this builds community and
sense of belonging. The whole community suffers the consequences of the
incident. What should have been healthy fun will be remembered as a disaster
Lesson:
Teacher involvement in student activities is healthy and positive, and many
times obligatory, but it should never become personal. Involvement should
always be in the best interest of the students. The teacher should always be
ready to help and support, but not become cut-throat aggressive in helping with
student competitions. Students should be learning that healthy competition
should emphasize on competing fairly, not winning at all cost. A teachers job
is to demonstrate fair play and healthy competition. If you dont think you can
keep cool, dont take part.
84 85
CASE 18 UNHEALTHY CONVENIENCE
In your opinion is the teacher intentionally stealing supplies?
How could he have better managed the situation?
Did the head of department manage the situation professionally?
What is at risk?
Commentary:
It is unprofessional for the teacher to take supplies from the department
or the school for personal use. In this case the teachers honest approach
to the incident works in his favor. He is professional in the way he managed
the problem, however, he does not act before the problem is brought up in
the meeting and his initial reaction is to keep quiet. He is a basically honest
person (we all are), however he needed time to think about how to confront
the situation. It is likely that if nothing had been said about the problem he
would not have taken the initiative to repair the damage. He does learn from
the situation and he does respond with courage (it takes courage to admit you
are responsible for something like this). This brings him future benefts in his
career.
The head of department was professional in her management of the case.
She protected the good name of her teacher and her department. The resource
center didnt ask any more questions because the department didnt ask for
any more resources.
Lesson:
Dont give in to temptations about borrowing school property. More than
likely you will fnd yourself in a problem that might not be easy to handle, or
will at the least be very embarrassing. Be very cautious about what you do that
might affect your good name. Your personal integrity is the most valuable thing
you have, and it is an important factor that will be acknowledged in any future
reference you may require from your work place. Dont risk losing it.
CASE 19 TUTORING TROUBLES
Why do you think the teacher treats the child the way she does?
Is the treatment ethical?
What are the positive effects the tutor has on the child?
What should the teacher have done to help the new girl?
What long term effects might the child suffer from being treated this
way?
Commentary:
This teacher shows three kinds of unethical behavior, almost to the extent of
bullying. First she is discriminatory against a child who has just arrived to her
classroom, and she resents the fact that another child has been put into her
class. She shows her feelings by mistreating the child. Second, she refuses
to give the girl the help she needs and refers her to a tutor, after which she
refuses to give the tutor information to help bring the child up to grade level.
She is deliberately denying the child what she needs to adapt and succeed.
Finally, rather than supporting the girl and encouraging her, she ridicules her
in front of her classmates and makes her feel very uncomfortable and insecure
at school.
When the child produces a good piece of work, the teacher does not believe
the child and accuses her of turning in work that has been written by her tutor,
thus humiliating her in front of the class, and inferring to her classmates that
she is a liar. To make things worse the teacher demonstrates professional
jealousy when the tutor gets results with the child.
When the mother protests to the principal, the teacher denies the accusation
and changes her attitude. She is not only mean but dishonest. If a teacher is
like this with one child she will be this way with others as well. The emotional
health and self esteem of child could be damaged for life.
Lesson:
Every child in your class needs your support and encouragement, even
if it means more work for you. This especially applies to a student who is
adjusting to a new environment and trying to be accepted by new classmates.
To mistreat a child is unforgivable.
86 87
CASE 20 BOOMING BUSINESS
What ethical implications do you fnd in this case?
In your opinion how great would the temptation to give the classes be?
Commentary:
Personal gain can never be a motivation for requiring extra classes for any
student, particularly if they are the teachers own students. A teacher should
never tutor his/her own students unless the parents insist on it and if it the best
way to bring a child up to class level. Then it must be with the consent of the
school. Most schools have a policy that allows for organized tutoring when
necessary. These teachers are using school time and resources to prepare
and sustain their business. Technically this is stealing from their employer and
the parents. The way they manipulate the parents into using their services
is almost extortion (a criminal offence). They send out letters to the parents
without the knowledge of the school.
These teachers might be good teachers, but they are bad professionals.
It is totally unethical to deliberately fail a large number of students in order to
ask parents to pay extra classes. When a teacher is approached by parents
for tutoring, or fnds that a particular student would beneft from extra classes
he/she should consult the proper authority before taking action. The school
should also have a standardized fee and a list of qualifed tutors in case that a
student needs tutoring.
Lesson:
There is nothing wrong with giving tutoring and being paid for it. Indeed
tutoring is often a great help for a particular student and a nice extra for you.
However it is not ethical to tutor your own students unless you do it for free
or some special circumstance requires it. In this case the school should know
about it and authorize it. Always follow the schools policy and procedure for
tutoring. If you dont know it, ask.
CASE 21 SOFT SUPERVISOR
In what ways is the pre-service teacher demonstrating unethical
behavior?
In your opinion why does he act in this way?
Is the supervising teacher helping this young teacher to become a
responsible professional?
If you were going to write the report for him what would you say?
Commentary:
Frank has taken on more than he can handle. Between his classes, his
practice, his job, and his girlfriend, he cant seem to concentrate on doing
what he must. He is not preparing his classes, he is not doing his duty, and
he is not paying attention to his students or reporting their progress to their
parents. He is leaving the students alone in the classroom thus putting them
in danger. He seems to know that Ms. Johnson fnds him to be a nice guy and
takes advantage of it.
He is living in the future, dreaming of his new job and his new life, but forgets
that he must complete all requirements successfully or he may lose it all.
Besides if he gets in the habit of acting in this way and has no consequences
he is likely to do the same on his new job.

As for Ms. Johnson, she is a very empathetic person, but her indulgence
is not justifed. She fails when it comes to guiding this teacher to becoming a
great professional. Even though she talks to him and tries to get him to react,
she fails to get tough with him or report the truth to his university. This will not
help him grow professionally, and it is not ethical. She is showing favoritism
and she will not be thanked for it.
Lesson:
Always do your best. Sometimes we have to identify priorities. Dont take
on more than you can do well or you may end up losing more than you gain.
Also if you have to get energetic with someone in order to make them a better
professional, dont let your liking them personally or feeling sorry for them stop
you.
88 89
CASE 22 VICIOUS TONGUES
Which characters are most to be blamed for the outcome of this story?
Do you think that something like this could easily happen?
Should the teacher have been more open about the nature of his illness
at the beginning?
Did the principal handle the case in the best way?
Commentary:
This is a case where school rules are broken, children are involved, learning
is affected and the reputations of the teacher and the school are directly at
stake, all because of a rumor.
The principal needed to fnd a replacement for the teacher and followed
the regular line of action to do so. His assistant did her job by asking human
resources to fnd a replacement but did not divulge any reason for this. The
person in human resources did her job as well. All were confdential with the
information, and in fact the last two did not know the reasons for the teachers
resignation. However, the teacher who overheard the conversation in the
human resources offce was quick to carry the news to her companions, who
quickly began to speculate. The teacher who acted most unethically is the one
who felt he had to mention having seen the Art teacher in a bar with another
man. This in itself says nothing, but sadly it leads everyone to begin to imagine
the nature of the mans illness. The result is extreme. The poor teacher is
humiliated and insulted, and it results in his career being jeopardized.
Perhaps the principal should have insisted on more information, or
the teacher should have been more specifc in explaining his sickness.
Nonetheless, situations of this nature are frequent. The principal responded
correctly in informing the community of the truth and trying to compensate the
teacher, however the damage was already done.
Lesson:
Unfortunately, human nature likes a good rumor. Be careful how you repeat
and speculate about information when you dont have all of the facts. If you
ever fnd yourself in the situation of having to divulge personal information
about yourself, make sure you give enough precise data to avoid speculation
on the part of others.
CASE 23 WRONG CHOICE
In what ways has this teacher acted unethically?
As a parent how would you react in a similar situation?
What might have gone wrong when the teacher was being interviewed
for the job?
Commentary:
Young teachers (or experienced teachers for that matter) are justifed
in being anxious to fnd jobs and have every right to choose the best offer.
Nonetheless, it is necessary to consider all aspects of the position. If your
personal convictions are not in accordance with those of the institution, you will
be unhappy and it will not be a proftable experience for you or the institution.
This teacher thought only about money and experience. In the end, he fnishes
without a job and cant ask for a recommendation from the school.
It is unethical to try to indoctrinate students with your personal beliefs, be
they political, religious or others. It is the right of parents to choose a particular
school for their children, and it is your duty to respect that. In this case the
teacher has caused a family problem. He has spoken badly about the school
that gave him an opportunity, and he has offended a respectable community.
Lesson:
If your personal beliefs and ideologies do not coincide with those of a
particular institution, dont go there! If you must, then respect and collaborate
with the established philosophy and organization in a positive manner, and
keep quiet! If your personal ideals are not those of your students, parents and
community they should be kept out of your teaching.
90 91
Appendix
COLOR RUBRIC FOR ANALIZING CASE HISTORIES CONCERNING
TEACHING ETHICS
Six criteria are considered in this rubric: violation of code of ethics or school
rules (community handbook); student involvement; well-being of students at
risk; negative impact on learning; risk of damage to the good name of a person
the profession or the institution; the management of the situation. These criteria
are listed according to the seriousness of the incidents and described under
each classifcation represented by a color. The colors are Blue (being the least
serious); Green; Yellow; Orange; and Red (being the most serious). When
these criteria are considered, the result may be a combination of the colors.
After considering all of the criteria, as a whole, one color can be determined to
be representative of the case.
BLUE:
There is a violation of the Code of Ethics and/or school rules.
There is no student involvement.
There is no risk to the well-being of students.
There is no negative impact on learning.
There is minimal risk of damage to the good name of the profession and/
or the good name of the institution.
The situation can be easily managed but the offender should be made
aware of his/her infraction.
GREEN:
There is a violation of the Code of Ethics and/or school rules.
There may be some student involvement.
There is possible risk to the well-being of students.
There may be some negative impact on learning.
There is considerable risk of damage to the good name of the profession
and/or the good name of the institution.
The situation can be managed without major diffculty but may require a
formal consequence.
YELLOW:
There is a considerable violation of the Code of Ethics and/or school rules.
There is student involvement.
There is some risk to the well-being of students.
There is a negative impact on learning.
There is a high risk of damage to the good name of the profession and/or
the good name of the institution.
The situation requires prompt careful management and formal
consequences.
ORANGE:
There is a serious violation of the Code of Ethics and/or school rules.
Students are directly involved.
The well-being of the students is at considerable risk.
There is considerable negative impact on learning.
The good name of the profession and/or the institution is in jeopardy.
The situation requires prompt, cautious discreet management and
signifcant formal consequences.
RED:
There is severe violation of the Code of Ethics and/or school rules.
Students are directly involved.
The well-being of the students is at high risk.
There is an important negative impact on learning.
The good name of the profession and/or the institution is in great jeopardy.
The situation requires prompt, cautious, discreet management and
extreme formal consequences.
92 93
Suggested Reading
Campbell, E. (2003). The Ethical Teacher. Maidenhead, UK: Open University
Press
Campbell, E. (2007). Teaching ethically as a moral condition of
professionalism.
UISE University of Toronto. 601-617.
Retrieved November 11, 2011 from http://sitemaker.umich.edu/tei/fles/
campbell_teaching_ethically.pdf.
Chubbuck,S. M. & Whipp, B. &J. (2007) The presence and possibility for
moral sensibility in beginning pre-service teachers. Ethics and
Education. 2(2), 109-130.
Gregory, Marshall W, (2010). How teachers need to deal with the seen,
the unseen, the improbable, and the nearly imponderable. Scholarship
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Kohlberg, L. & Turiel, E. (1971). Moral development and moral education.
In G. Lesser, (Ed.), Psychology and educational practice. Scott Foresman.
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Rest, James R. (1984). The major components of morality. In W. Kurtines
& J. Gewirtz (Eds.), Morality, moral behavior, and moral development. New
York: Wiley.
Suggested Viewing
The Wave (2008), directed by Dennis Gansel; produced by Rat Pack
Productions GMBH/ Constantin Films Production/Munich.
Up the Down Staircase (1967), directed by Robert Mulligan; Turner Classic
Movies, an Alan J. Pakula Robert Mulligan Production
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