Ethics and Education
Ethics are referred to as the ideologies that govern tolerable or ideal behavior, it mostly centers on what conduct if tolerable or intolerable. In education, however, ethical issues that are faced are not matters of life and death. In this industry ethical dilemmas occur when educationalists are faced by choices that are contradicting with the policies and values of the specific education organization. This industry has numerous ethical problems and educationalists have to be equipped with the proper strategies for making decisions1.
Education is considered a process through which learning is impacted on people. It is a constant process and there is always getting and giving. It involves adding and sometimes reducing particular things, and at times it is impolite. Education is imparted from one age group to another. This is a extremely important industry and is calls for precise values and ethics, with clear legal outlines to standardize its sharing and distribution2.
Ethical Issues in Education Industry
Educationalists, learners, educational organizations and learner’s parents are faced by numerous ethical and legal problems in the education industry. Passing education to handicapped children is one of the disciplines in which moral issues arise. Educational recourse were not made available to disabled children until the year nineteen seventy five when the handicapped children’s act was passes by the federal government. Educators responsible for handicapped children should be well equipped with ethical skills to handle issues related to them1.
Another ethical issue in education arises when the parents or guardians of students demand the right to decide which teachers should educate their children. The education institution is left in a dilemma on whether to adhere to the parent’s requests or to follow the institutions policy to avoid biasness in the institution. Ethical issues also arise on the issue of whether it is a must for students to wear school uniforms or not. There are arguments favoring the adoption of school uniforms in schools. People argue that lack of school uniforms has led to indecent dressing, despicable hair styles and colors and excessive body piercings. Arguments against school uniforms insinuate that dressing modes have no effect on the learning abilities. This leaves the school administration in a dilemma on whether to impose school uniforms on students or not1.
Discipline Issues is another ethical dilemma faced by educators in the industry. There are arguments on whether to adopt the zero-tolerance rule or to allow children to be taught from their errors and give them another chance. Educational institutions should implement both forms of discipline. Aggressiveness, bullying and violence in any form should be dealt with using the zero-tolerance rule while the giving of another chance should be used to persuade improved academic performances. Giving the learners a chance to attempt again creates a can do better attitude in them leading to better grades. However, many institutions are face by ethical dilemmas on which rules to implement. Parents also magnify the dilemma when they decide to influence the methods used by educators to discipline learners. Ethical methods of disciplining learners should also be adopted. For example, it is very unethical for educators to discipline by instilling physical pain to children2.
Ethical issues also arise in the education industry when there is cultural and ethnical diversity in learning institutions. There are many cultural groups in America and students from the different ethnical backgrounds seek admission in the American schools. Ever since the naissance of civic schools in American, ethnical issues and racism have given rise to many ethical issues. It is very unethical for educators have biasness toward certain students because of their race or ethnical back ground. Educators should appreciate ethnical diversity and should not let it hamper learning. Educationists should also avoid at all cost making racial comments when teaching their children as this is highly unethical. The curriculum should include lesson on different ethnicities to encourage students to appreciate cultural diversity2.
Ethical issues also arise when it comes to the grading of students. The importance of grading students is questioned many times. The purpose of giving students grade is questioned in terms of what the grades reflect. Many times people wonder if the grades are meant to show the learning abilities of students, aptitude to grasp information or capability to meet deadlines given by the educators. Unethical educators are also biased when giving grades to students. Some educators may give students grades according to their personal view of the student and not the general performance of the student1.
Ethical issues also arise when educators engage in sexual relationships with their students. Despite the age of the learner, engaging in sexual relationships with them is breaking the code of ethics for the educators. There should be severe punishment for educationists who go against such ethical codes. Students should also be well informed of the consequences of such actions2.
Cheating in examinations is also a major ethical issue in the education industry. Educators find themselves in an ethical dilemma when deliberating on how to handle learners caught cheating. Cheating calls for expulsion from school and educators may hesitate to expel students caught cheating. Some students may try to find ways of getting out of such troubles by bribing their educators and it is very unethical for educators to withhold punishment for material benefit1.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ethics in education industry guide educator and learners in making right and tolerable decisions in regard to their conduct. They form guidelines for the standard processes of giving and getting education. There are numerous ethical issues in education and most of them arise from parents deciding which teacher will educate their children, educating children with disabilities, cultural diversity, cheating in examinations, grading students and educators engaging in sexual relationships with their students.
References
1. George, Richard T. De. Academic Freedom and Tenure: Ethical Issues. London: Rowman & Littlefield, 1997.
2. Robinson, George M., and Janice Moulton. Ethical Problems in Higher Education. Washington DC: iUniverse, 2005.
