This document discusses key concepts in ethics including moral rules and duties, virtues, outcomes, and principles. It also covers theoretical backgrounds of ethics according to Aristotle. Some ethical considerations discussed include diagnosis and inclusion/exclusion of students with special needs, reliance after graduation, individualized education programs, and fairness. Challenges with technology and social media as well as promoting equality and avoiding discrimination among students from diverse backgrounds are also summarized.

1. Ethics at School:
A Learner’s Guide
►SONIA FEBRES
►KANDIS KING SHELTON
►JASMINE OLIVA
►ESMERALDA GARCIA
►FEBRUARY 17, 2020
►CUR/525
►PROFESSOR DAVID LEVOKSY
►

2. Key Definitions in Ethics
• Moral Rules and Duties - Actions (independent of consequences) are
right or wrong. We are all obliged to fulfill our duties and to act to fulfill
these duties.
• Virtues - Attitudes, dispositions, or character traits enable us to be and to
act in ways that develop our human potential (for example, honesty,
trustworthiness, integrity, faithfulness, etc.)
• Outcomes - Consequence of actions or policies must uphold the well-
being of all persons directly or indirectly affected. Choose actions
producing greatest overall benefits.
• Principles - Four principles form a set of pillars for moral life; respect for
persons/ autonomy, justice, beneficence (do good), and non-maleficence
(do no harm).
• Care - Focuses on relationships and underlying power structures within a
situation

3. Ethics: Theoretical Background
► The study of Ethics has several roots, but the most commonly cited is
Aristotle’s Ethics. Based on his writing, we get a theory of ethics that is
both embodied in actions and situated in particular contexts. Specifically,
ethics for Aristotle is enacted in the sense that our actions communicate
our values; our behaviors reflect our core beliefs. For Aristotle, there were
no hard and fast rules about what behaviors or actions were ethical or
unethical. The nature of the action must be contextually judged..

4. Decision-
Making
Principles
Inclusion of all stakeholders in the Decision-Making Process
Transparency: Ensure means for all stakeholders to have
access to process
Equity & Access: Fairness, equity and access for all students
Responsive to student, teacher and community needs
Include & share rational for decisions
Consider legal and moral obligation first
Collective Bargaining (Utilitarian Principle)

5. Best Practices
Collectively
develop agreed
upon Norms
Follow federal laws,
code of ethics, and
licensure
agreements
Consider Student
well-being first
Research-Based,
data driven
practices
Document,
Document,
Document…
Collaboration &
Open
Communication
among
Stakeholders

6. Ethical Considerations for Students
with Special Needs
► Diagnosis-in special education the teachers have to work with
many different people such as classroom teachers, administrators,
parents, and the students. Diagnosis presents a huge problem
because often times students are not diagnosed correctly.
► Inclusion/exclusion-the ethical considerations for inclusion versus
exclusion is trying to figure out if a student with severe disabilities
can be in the classroom with the other students.
► IDEA-Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act is the
core of the special education department. IDEIA incorporates rules
against excluding special education students because of their
disabilities, evaluation deciding if a student has a disability, IEP,
placing the students in an environment where they can learn best,
providing the necessary services that the students need in order to
be successful in school, and ensuring that both parents and
students are participating throughout the IDEA process (Stader,
n.d.).

7. Ethical
Considerations
for Students
with Special
Needs
(Continued)
► Reliance- this ethical consideration refers to the special
education students once they have graduated high
school. The ethical dilemma with reliance is that special
education students began to rely on the special education
teacher and receive several accommodations that they
may not continue to get in the workplace or in a higher
education setting (Hamilton, 2017).
► IEP- The individualized education program committee has
to consist of the students parents, one teacher, special
education teacher, interpreter of instruction that can be
implicated into the plan, and a supervisor (Stader, n.d.).
The committee comes together to let the parents know the
students educational needs, supplies a plan to implicate,
suggests ways that the parents can be involved in their
child’s learning, provides direction for the students regular
teacher, and proves to the district and state that they are
meeting the guidelines necessary for the instruction of their
children(Stader, n.d.).
► Fairness-the ethical consideration for fairness concerning
students with special needs is should special education
teachers treat the students exactly the same or treat the
students like he is supposed to be treated (Hamilton, 2017).

8. Social Media and Technology Challenges
► The challenges that teachers deal with are that
technology might not be preferred in the classroom.
Some teachers may prefer the old fashioned reading of
the text in a book and writing versus typing on a regular
sheet of paper. Other challenges are the many different
devices that are available to them, the time it takes for
the teacher to explain the instructions for the multiple
devices, the challenge of the teacher not having
enough experience on the device to even be able to
instruct the students on how to use it, training in order to
be able to instruct and teach effectively, the issue of
protecting our students making sure that they don’t
wander onto a website that is inappropriate, and the
challenge of technology affecting classroom time by
being a distraction.

9. Ethics In Working With Students Of Diverse
Socioeconomic Backgrounds And Cultures
Equality is defined as “the state of
being equal, especially in status,
rights, and opportunities?
Teachers should have respect for
and not discriminate against any
student based off race, color,
gender or religion.
● “Recognize any biases or stereotypes that you
may have absorbed
● Treat each student as an individual and
respect each student for who he or she is.
● Become more informed about the history and
culture of groups other than your own.
● Convey the same level of respect and
confidence in the abilities of all your students.
● Don’t try to “protect” any group of students.
● Be evenhanded in how you acknowledge
students’ good work.”(Barbara Gross Davis)

10. Examples Of Positive And Negative Outcomes
With Cultural Diversity
Positive
● All students no matter what
race, color, gender or religion
can feel that they are valued and
safe while in school.
● Students learn to have respect
other.
● Shows awareness for student
differences.
Negative
● Some students could
potentially feel
misunderstood or that they
are being treated unfairly.
● Due to different beliefs some
students may feel left out of
certain activities.

11. References
► Davis, B. (n.d). Professional Standards And Practices Commission . Retrieved from
https://www.pspc.education.pa.gov/Promoting-Ethical-Practices-Resources/Ethics-
Toolkit/Unit5/Pages/Ethics,-Teaching-and-Diversity.aspx
► Dictionary(n.d). Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/equality?s=t
► Ethics Background. Retrieved from
https://www.nwabr.org/sites/default/files/EthicsBackground.pdf
► Hamilton, Samuel. (2017). Ethical Issues for Special Education Programs. Retrieved from
https://www.theclassroom.com/ethical-issues-special-education-programs-22210.html
► Hyndman, Brendon. (2018). Ten Reasons Teachers can Struggle to use Technology in the
Classroom. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/ten-reasons-teachers-can-struggle-
to-use-technology-in-the-classroom-101114
► Stader, D. L. (n.d.). Law and Ethics in Educational Leadership (2nd ed.). Retrieved from
https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323155073/epubcfi/6/2[;vnd.vst.idref=cover]!/
4/2[vst-image-button-43077]@0:0.
► Technology image. (n.d.). Retrieved from
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