1. THE BOUNDARY EDUCATIONAL ETHICS AND LAW TEACHER CHARGED: SEXUAL EXPLOITATION Under the Criminal Code, no one is allowed to have a sexual relationship with anyone under 18 years old if they are in a position of trust or authority "and certainly any teacher would follow under that description," said Duncan. A young person at that age is "at an obvious stage in their emotional development" where they would be vulnerable to "friendly behaviour and given a degree of affection would fall into a position where they would develop an emotional attachment with a teacher as somebody in a position of authority.“ (Powell et al.) Toronto police have charged Paola Queen, a 35-year-old teacher at Nelson A. Boylen Collegiate Institute, with one count of sexual exploitation after they received a Crime Stoppers tip earlier this month about an alleged inappropriate relationship between a high school teacher and a student. Police allege Queen began a romantic and sexual relationship with the teen not long after she started teaching at the school in September 2005, "one that has continued, to our knowledge, to the present time," said Duncan, of 31 Division.
2. TEACHER-STUDENT BOUNDARIES Tuesday March 3, 2009 boundary.com KEY ETHICAL and LEGAL TERMS Fiduciary Relationship “A special relationship in which one person [voluntarily] accepts the trust and confidence of another to act in the latter’s best interest. In such a relationship, the parties do not deal on equal terms”(Plaut, 1993, p.212) Position of Authority The “legal right to control another person’s activities” which “includes the power that arises simply by virtue of the unequal status between teacher and student” (Crook and Truscott, 2007, p.90). Position of Trust A belief in the reliability, truth and strength of the teacher, which is held by the student who is vulnerable to the teachers influence and persuasiveness. (Crook and Truscott, 2007, p.90)
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4. Teachers have a “socially sanctioned authority” (Crook and Truscott, 2007 p.84) over students.
22. Dating a studentBetween a teacher and student “an unequal balance of power and influence” exists, therefore “it is impossible for a student to give any meaningful consent to any sexual involvement” (Crook and Truscott 2007, p.89) NEVER ENGAGE IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH A STUDENT!
23. THE BOUNDARY TEACHER-STUDENT BOUNDARIES ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ boundary.com KEY ETHICAL and LEGAL TERMS in loco parentis Black’s Law Dictionary, 6th Edition “In place of the parent; charged factitiously, with a parent’s rights, duties and responsibilities” Breach of Trust An infraction of the trustee’s (teacher’s) fiduciary obligation towards the client (student). Supreme Court of Canada M(K) v M(H)[1992] “A father [in loco parentis?] was found to have breached his fiduciary obligation to his child by sexually abusing her” (Birks, 2002, p.246) Education Act Reg.97-150 section 25(1)e “A teacher shall practice such discipline as may be exercised by a kind, firm and judicious parent in his or her family…”(Gagné, 2000, p.5)
24. THE BOUNDARY TEACHER-STUDENT BOUNDARIES ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ boundary.com KEY ETHICAL and LEGAL TERMS Ethos of Care The character, sentiment, or disposition of a community or people that embody and promote kindness, care, respect, trust, justice, and equity for all.
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26. Be aware of situations that jeopardize the teacher/student boundary and redirect interactions to a more appropriate relationship
27. Be careful when using self-disclosure as an effective teaching strategy
34. Situations of self disclosureSelf Disclosure Storytelling and recollections that are informative or illustrative can be used as an effective teaching strategy. However, discussions of current personal problems or fantasies, sexual practices or feelings and gossip MUST be avoided.
35. THE BOUNDARY TEACHER-STUDENT BOUNDARIES ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ boundary.com Case Study:Matthew and Ms. Davidson
37. THE BOUNDARY TEACHER-STUDENT BOUNDARIES ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ boundary.com Case Study:Matthew and Ms. Davidson How did Ms. Davidson deviate from her professional role, if at all? What could she have done differently to maintain greater professionalism?
38. THE BROILER EDUCATIONAL ETHICS AND LAW CATHOLIC BOARD BANS GOLDEN COMPASS STORY The books, a trilogy by British author Philip Pullman — an avowed atheist — have come to the fore since the recent release of the film The Golden Compass, which stars Nicole Kidman. “[Pullman] is very definitely against religion, against God,” said LeMay. “Is this what we want to teach the kids?” Following complaints from parents, the book committee for the Halton board, which oversees about 45 elementary and secondary schools in the southern Ontario towns of Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills, had originally found the books suitable for Grades 7 and up. But the board overruled that decision Tuesday night. “There are other books that we can use to teach [students] critical thinking,” LeMay said Thursday. Earlier this month, Calgary’s Catholic school board also banned the book. (Darby Shire, 2007) The Halton Catholic School Board has pulled The Golden Compass and two other related books from its libraries after board officials deemed their content was “not something that we feel is appropriate.” Alice Anne LeMay, the board’s chair said: “If parents chose these books for their children, that’s fine, but the board felt the series of books did not have a place in our schools’ libraries.”
39. CONTROVERSY IN THE CLASSROOM Tuesday March 3, 2009 broiler.com Controversy Academic Controversy the instructional use of intellectual conflict to promote higher achievement and increase the quality of problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, reasoning, interpersonal relationships, and psychological health and well-being. To engage in an academic controversy students must research and prepare a position, present and advocate their position, refute opposing positions and rebut attacks on their own position, reverse perspectives, and create a synthesis that everyone can agree to. A social event as evidenced by people disagreeing about facts and conclusions on a given issue (Crook & Truscott, 2007 p.130) Issues that are sensitive and thus are likely to arouse strong feelings on the part of students, their parents, and perhaps other teachers (Crook & Truscott, 2007, p.130)
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41. Keep in mind that the courts have determined that a teacher’s freedom of speech within a classroom could (in theory) be restricted (Crook & Truscott, 2007, p.139)
47. Advance the students knowledge of the subject“A good teacher is one who instructs while a great teacher is one who reforms” (Crook &Truscott 2007, p.131-132)
48. CONTROVERSY IN THE CLASSROOM THE BROILER ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ broiler.com BANNED! J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2000—The Durham (ON) Board of Education received numerous complaints about the immensely popular Harry Potter books being read in classrooms throughout the board’s schools. A school board official said that the complaints came from fundamentalist Christian parents.
49. CONTROVERSY IN THE CLASSROOM THE BROILER ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ broiler.com To the Editor: Children desperately need such books in school libraries, just as much as they need nutritious food in school lunches. The essential element is the inspiring depiction of a boy's triumphant struggles… who discovers he has a rare talent and works hard to develop it. In the course of his education, he learns to think for himself, to be honest and to be self-confident. He finds friends who share his values and he earns the respect of his teachers. He battles the class bully as well as the most evil wizard on earth, and we rejoice when, with considerable effort and courage, Harry prevails. What is the educational value of this? A child needs to learn concrete facts, of course, but that is not enough. In order to organize and utilize such facts, a child urgently needs as a framework a basic, abstract view of life and he needs it in the form, not of an abstruse treatise, but of a concise, easily graspable presentation. This is what literature provides. Every children's story implicitly addresses such broad questions as: Is the world fundamentally a benevolent or a malevolent place? Can one rely on one's own mind or not? Is life to be eagerly embraced or fearfully skirted? Can the good succeed or does evil ultimately win?
50. CONTROVERSY IN THE CLASSROOM THE BROILER ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ broiler.com The Harry Potter series appeals to so many children (and, incidentally, adults) because the answers it gives to these questions are overwhelmingly positive. It shows a world in which happiness can be achieved, villains can be defeated, and the means of success can be learned. The books are, in short, fuel for a child's maturing mind. As vitamins and minerals are essential to a child's healthy physical development, so literature with this view of the world is essential to a child's healthy mental development. It is a story's abstract meaning, not its physical setting, that influences the reader. What crucial need does the Harry Potter series fill? In a culture where cynicism is too often the dominant note, it provides a reminder that life is good that it is challenging and full of exciting possibilities. Ban Harry Potter? We ought to make certain every school library has copies. Dianne L. Durante [from the] Ayn Rand Institute
51. CONTROVERSY IN THE CLASSROOM THE BROILER ~ Tuesday March 3, 2009 ~ broiler.com THINGS TO PONDER Is it possible to remain objective when dealing with controversial issues? How can you use controversial teaching methods to the benefit of your students?
![TEACHER-STUDENT BOUNDARIES Tuesday March 3, 2009 boundary.com KEY ETHICAL and LEGAL TERMS Fiduciary Relationship “A special relationship in which one person [voluntarily] accepts the trust and confidence of another to act in the latter’s best interest. In such a relationship, the parties do not deal on equal terms”(Plaut, 1993, p.212) Position of Authority The “legal right to control another person’s activities” which “includes the power that arises simply by virtue of the unequal status between teacher and student” (Crook and Truscott, 2007, p.90). Position of Trust A belief in the reliability, truth and strength of the teacher, which is held by the student who is vulnerable to the teachers influence and persuasiveness. (Crook and Truscott, 2007, p.90)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)