Ethics in the Schoolhouse

     In education, we often speak of ethics in the profession.  The very word can create a charged atmosphere among teachers and administrators.  Where can we begin to frame the conversation?  I view the concept of ethics as a function of three core conditions: transparency, accountability, and trust.  When discerning the ethical ramifications of an action, we ask ourselves, “Am I comfortable with any and all persons involved having complete knowledge of my action and its consequences?”  We evaluate the decisions we make through the lens of the people our choices will affect.  We consider, “Am I comfortable with shouldering the responsibility for any outcomes that result from this action?”  As educators we live in a world of accountability, and no choice can be made simply for its own sake.  The decisions we make directly affect the lives of our students, and therefore the larger world:  we accept the burden when we enter the profession.  And finally, at the heart of all of our decisions, we ask, “Does this choice value the students to whom I have been entrusted?”  Educators are indeed custodians of the public trust.  We are the institution entrusted every day with the most valuable resource of our community, and that trust must be brought to bear on each and every decision. 

     An administrator is the face of the schoolhouse and acts as the north point on a campus’ ethical compass.  The decisions are not simple:  many opinions vie for attention, and the consequences of one action mix inextricably with the consequences of another.  There is also no question that the intersection of cultural value systems can create miscommunication and conflict.   Finding true acceptance that even some of our most cherished beliefs are not shared by all can be an enormous obstacle.  Morals by their very nature have a deeply emotional component:  they reside at the core of our character.  This makes conflicts in this arena all the more volatile and all the more challenging.  A leader cannot help but to fall back on their personal morality to discern appropriate action, and it would not be appropriate to ask them to do otherwise.  However, adherence to an accepted set of guidelines, such as board policies, creates a common language for dialogue and a standard that does not depend on emotional judgments.  And so administrators are called once again to strike a balance, between choices of value and policy, and between personal values and community norms.