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Philosophy

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Apr 3, 2024

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4.2 Ethical Dilemma-Case Study: Rising Star or Wife Beater? Superintendent Brown has a hard decision in his midst. The public outcry is for immediate disciplinary action for Coach Alex. The general public consensus is that Coach Alex needs to be fired immediately. The Superintendent must weigh this decision carefully as the charges against him have been dropped for the second time. The fairest choice that the Superintendent could make in this situation is to allow Alex to continue with his job unless further legal action occurs. With the charges being dropped, it is a matter of conscience. The superintendent needs to weigh all options for every stakeholder, the good of the school, the community, the students, and even Coach Alex. Coach Alex and the Superintendent both have a responsibility to the profession and an obligation to the profession of teaching. All teachers need to conduct themselves as a professional realizing that his/her actions reflect directly upon the status and substance of the profession. Both need to be cognizant of the influence of educators upon a community and should not engage in any type or form of misconduct in or outside the classroom. One might decide to allow Alex to keep his job based on a “greater good for the greater number” reasoning in that he has helped so many young athletes. The strengths of this argument are that Coach Alex has done a great service to the community by helping so many young athletes become successful and learn positive life skills. On the contrary, one might pose the question that Coach Alex is now undoing all the good he has done by squelching his positive influence. I do not agree that Coach Alex should keep his job just because of his past performance. The reason I feel this way is because his spouse has filed charges twice now and

retracted. In my mind, one time could be a mistake and may be overlooked, but two occurrences may mean that he committed the offenses and could be in danger of being convicted. This is not a positive role model for our youth. An educator has a strict code and context for teacher public behavior: Teachers are at the center of the educational process and are in a unique position of influence and trust. Although there is debate about whether or not a teacher’s behavior in a public place, away from school property or school activities, should be considered under any Code of Professional Responsibility, teachers may find themselves in a situation where public perception and opinion can lead to a disruption in the educational process. This being said, the course of action that would be best for both the students and the athletes in this high school would be for Coach Alex to be dismissed from his job because he betrayed his code of professional responsibility and the trust instilled in educators. This is a set of principles which the education profession expects its members to honor and follow. These principles are enacted on behalf of the education profession and the public it serves. They are a set of standards used to guide conduct and the judicious appraisal of conduct in situations that have professional and ethical implications. Coach Alex has broken this Code of Professional Responsibility and must adhere to the consequences of such behavior. Coach Alex does not have any more or any less of a responsibility to be a role model than any other educator, teacher, or Coach. All educators should be held to the same standard and codes. Spousal abuse is unlike alcoholism. It is not something that occurs because an abuser has a disease. Abuse is a learned behavior and because of this one must be cautious of allowing abusers to be role models for children. Any and all abuse is a choice.

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