When reflecting on what I have read in the book Building an Ethical School by Robert J. Starratt, and the information obtained from my current Ethics and Social Responsibilities class, I feel I have an abundance of valuable information that will guide me in creating an ethical school environment when I am a school leader.
When I think of an ethical school, I envision a school where all members of the school make decisions based on what is right and good. I read once in an article that real leaders concentrate on doing the right thing, not on doing things right. I believe this. If a leader comes to a decision doing the “right” thing, they are also usually doing things right. Having a responsibility to everyone involved in the school community, it is often not clear what is right or wrong or which perspective is right. This is the struggle that school leaders encounter on a daily basis.
As the leader of a school, it will be my responsibility to ensure that all students have the opportunity for a quality education in a safe learning environment. In meeting this responsibility, I feel that it is imperative to not only be concerned with the academics of a school, but to also focus on the creation or sustaining of a school that is ethical. When talking about being the leader of an ethical school, I am talking about being the leader of a school where the administration, teaching staff, clerical & custodial staff, students and parents engage in ethical behavior on a consistent base. Their ethics should be the principles that guide them in making the right or proper decisions.
In the creating of an ethical school, it is the responsibility of the principal to be the focal point of ethical decision making. If the principal acts in an ethical manner there will most likely be a “trickle down effect” causing those under him/her to also act ethically. The principal must ensure that his/her assistant principals are acting ethically and that they are ensuring that the teaching staff is acting ethically. The teaching staff must make sure to act ethically toward their students and in return that the students are acting ethically. When all the leaders of a school act ethically, it will facilitate the students acting ethically. “When youngsters encounter various teachers throughout the school day who model ethical...
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...view them very carefully making sure I was fully aware of all information. One of the summer meetings that I would have with my assistant principals would be exclusively on the Code of Ethics for educators and the Student Code of conduct. During this meeting I would distribute both documents to them explaining my intentions of running an ethical school. I would explain to them that I would expect them to follow the Educators Code of Ethics. I would make them aware of their importance in accomplishing this difficult endeavor, and explain to them my beliefs about being honest, respectful and fair. The assistant principals would be responsible for distributing the Student Code of Conduct to each student that they were responsible for. Each assistant principal would conduct a meeting with their students, reviewing the Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct would have to be brought home and reviewed, being signed by the student and the parent/guardian. The purpose for distributing the Student Code of conduct to all students, which had also has to be signed by parents, is to provide the student and parent of the expectations of their behavior and the possibly consequences of misconduct.
The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct was developed to uphold the application of core values, ideals, and principles to assist teachers’ decision-making about ethical issues. The Core Values of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct is based on the foundation of the field's commitment to young children. It is noteworthy that all seven of the Code's Core Values directly address our commitment to children:
The Code of Ethic for the Education Profession does not just involve the schools staff with its student but with everyone that is involved with the school. A quote from the first code “educator values the worth and dignity of every person” (1), to be an educator one has to keep their colleges, boss, parents, student and community in mind. To be in the education profession one is signing up to be a trustworthy, knowledgeable, devoted, and understanding individual. They must guarantee equal opportunities for everyone. Their primary concern is to their students learning and potential. One has to “sustain the highest degree of ethical conduct” (1).
The ethos of a school should be evident as you enter the school, as it is part of the environment and daily practice of staff and pupils who attend. All staff who work at our school are responsible in
According to Kozol, "the first act of an ethical child... might well be to start the demolition of a manifestly anti-ethical structure like a public school," and "no institution goes about the conscious task of subsidizing it's own demolition." If public schools are inherently unethical, why would we want them teaching America's children ethics? The answer, of course, is that we would not want them to. If, for arguments sake, the schools were ethical, then teaching ethics to children would not result in "it's own demolition," just a change in how it teaches. Obviously, though, to change the way the public schools teach, the people in power, who currently run the schools, must be removed. They are the ones who will not "subsidize" their own demolition. One of the problems with America's public school system, as well as democracy, is human nature. Once someone is in a position of power, they generally do not want to leave, even if their act of staying is detrimental to the organization they are involved in.
Within the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida, I have been able to find several prevalent moral issues to discuss. Of these, I found the following five selections to be the most important issues to be discu...
As a leader candidate, I can understand the challenges and multiplicity of complications that administrators must face each day. However, I will not accept any remote possibility that the students must be affected by some flaws of the school organization. We all as leaders, must be strategic with people, time, and money to guide our students towards an academic success.
A fundamental element that brings society together can be summarized in one term: ethics. This concept is deep-rooted in each individual’s interaction with others, and themes such as conscience and righteousness are often taught to children from a young age. In order to promote the proper, humane growth of a person, parents and guardians instill moral guidelines into children and students in their beginning years of education. While discipline and judgemental education continue on through one’s youthful years, the notion tapers off during the adolescent age where most assume that ethical judgement becomes common sense. As adults and supervisors no longer preach the importance of doing the right thing, teens in the high school age may become
the values, commitments and professional ethics that influence behaviors toward students, families, colleagues, and communities and affect student learning, motivation, and development as well as educator’s own professional growth. Dispositions are lead by beliefs and attitudes connected to values such as caring, fairness, honesty, responsibility, and social justice. (p. 53)
The school provides a safe environment for students to accomplish academic, social and emotional development. The leadership of a building will include effective decision making, human resource management, mission or purpose, understanding of change, relationship buildi...
...1). Leadership and Ethics. In Working Through Ethics in Education and Leadership (pp. 9-20). SensePublishers.
Code of ethics act as a promise to protect and support the safety of individuals in society, supports as a leading light it help the supporters of an occupation, resolve ethical problems and act as a protector the community. A code of ethics discloses and conserves the current viewpoint professionals on in what way to make ethical decisions. It stresses importance on obligation to moral values and vital beliefs. Application of a code of ethics helps us to guarantee that members of the profession will be accountable for their actions. It helps us to learn about the responsibility we have for ourselves, our colleagues and to the social structure of the profession. It is essential that the present and future psychologist should be aware of the formal ethical codes of practices in psychology. The American Psychological Association (APA) developed this formal Ethics Code which demonstrates the approaches to the psychologist about logical, educational, and clinical behaviors to be followed while working as a licensed person. By applying the ethical code a psychologist can identify ethical issues, interrelate with others professionally. This can inhibit and solve ethical dilemmas, and he /she will be able achieve their professional protagonists and responsibilities.
Ethical leadership organizational ethics and socially responsibility are inseparable (Johnson). Leadership is not a inherited gift or family heritage; it is not a degree from an ivy league graduate school. Becoming a leader is an intentional process of growth that must be lived out experientially (Mullane). Ethical leaders demonstrate three distinctive characteristics, knowledge, action and character. Leaders have to have the ability to say “yes” or even “no” to a never ending series of challenges. A leader needs to be able to define their values, character and leadership style. When accepting the role of leadership you become encumbered by ethical issues and concerns. .
Before such things can be implemented, there is some specific ground work and strategies that must be done within the schools before situations or dealt with and handled. In this groundwork, principals are vital in the success of the program they implement in their schools (Ballard, Argus & Remley, 1999). They are the conductors of each category needed in a successful program. Principals must hold students and staff accountable for their roles in changing the climate of the school and they must allow for the time and manpower implementing a new program will take. Gil (2002, p. 73) explains that first a solid code of conduct must be in place and operating smoothly. These clearly stated rules are to be communicated to all students and staff what the expectation is for behavior and they must be “enforced without
“Ethics are defined as a set of principles of right conducts; the rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession” ( Dictionary of the Human Language, 2000). Teachers are often put in situations that require more than just knowing the basic school rules. It is within these situations, that the ethical dilemmas occur. There is not always a right way to deal with many daily problems that face educators, but there are ways to handle situations that are better then others.
sure that one's child does not hurt him or her self or others, and that