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Ethics, Human Rights, and Diversity

Review Section 14.9, “Identifying Your Unethical Behavior,” page 363, and Section 14.2, “Recognizing Violations of Human Rights Based on Universal Ethical Principles,” page 353 from this week’s reading from your Critical Thinking text. At first glance, ethical practice might seem to be a very simple concept—just do the right thing! Upon closer examination, however, the student of ethical practice discovers that commitment to this precept challenges educators upon their encounters with ethical dilemmas. Shapiro and Stefkovich (1996) ask a defining question:

According to John Dewey (1908), ethics is the science that deals with conduct insofar as this is considered to be right or wrong, good or bad. . . . Looking at this definition from a critical perspective, one might ask: Ethics approved by whom? Right or wrong according to whom? (p. 2)

Ethical behavior is relatively easy when faced with right versus wrong—one simply does the right thing. Ethical dilemmas surface, though, when facing more complex decisions that involve right versus right. Through this week’s readings and discussions, you will explore how your specialization (Educational Leadership is my specialization) or field (Education is my field area) addresses ethical behavior for professional educators, and you will reflect upon real-world encounters with ethical behavior observed in professional settings, screening your discussion through perspectives gleaned from the readings.

Paul and Elder (2012) provide the following foundations for understanding ethical reasoning:

1. Ethical principles are not a matter of subjective preference.
2. All reasonable people are obligated to respect clear-cut ethical concepts and principles.
3. To reason well through ethical issues, we must know how to apply ethical concepts and principles reasonably to those issues.
4. Ethical concepts and principles should be distinguished from the norms and taboos of society and peer groups, religious teachings, political ideologies, and the law.
5. The most significant barriers to sound ethical reasoning are the egocentrism* and soiciocentrism** of human beings. (p. 345)

* “It’s true because I believe it.” Innate egocentrism: I assume that what I believe is true even though I have never questioned the basis for many of my beliefs. (p. 200)

** “It’s true because we believe it.” Innate sociocentrism: I assume that the dominant beliefs within the groups to which I belong are true even though I have never questioned the basis for many of these beliefs. (p. 200)

For this discussion, respond to the following prompts:

• What are the differences between unethical behavior and violations of human rights?
  • Provide an example of each, and explain why there was an indication of unethical behavior or violation of human rights.
  • Describe how each situation might be rectified.
• What activities have you participated in or been aware of in your work setting (I work at a private school as the After-school care and summer camp coordinator) that focused on ethical behavior, respect for diversity, and civil discourse? As you address this question, recall that diversity can include the following: exceptionalities, ethnicity, gender, orientation, intelligence, age, socioeconomic status, culture, religion, native language.
  • State if these initiatives were effective. Why or why not? What changes would you recommend to enhance their effectiveness?
  • Include support from the literature in your post.