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EDU5ISB MODULE 4 SCENARIO RESPONSES

No. 2
Ms. Z is a veteran teacher and a popular coach for several sports. She is well known for her
concern for the welfare of her students. Since the high school has limited resources to
accommodate practices and games for some of its teams, students are responsible for their own
transportation to other sports venues. Consequently, it is not uncommon for Ms. Z to provide
personal transportation for one or more students to athletic events and back home after events.

Please respond to each of the five discussion threads below:

1) What is the dilemma? What are the issues?


The dilemma is whether it is appropriate for a teacher to have students in their personal vehicle,
and if she is protected if something were to happen to the students whilst in her vehicle.

2) What are the legal aspects? What professional considerations are there?If something
were to happen, say a car accident or a student were to claim that Ms. Z acted inappropriately
toward them then she is not covered legally or ethically without consent or witnesses. Even if
there is parental consent, if she were to have a car accident and a student were to die, there is
no legal cover or insurance to protect her from manslaughter charges.

3) What ethical principles are at play and how would you resolve conflicts between
principles?
Ethical standard 7.1 Engaging in Professional Ethics
In the same way that as a teacher you would not have a private chat in a room without a student
behind a closed door you would not have a student in your private vehicle where you could be
accused of any kind of inappropriate behaviour and have no evidence to the contrary.

Ethical principles in play are that a student left to their own devices to get to a sporting match
may come into any number of dangerous situations, however whether they are at more danger in
the car or on their own is completely subjective.

From a teachers point of view, looking after their own interests, there is a very slim chance that a
student/students will be directly negatively affected by a teacher who drives only themselves to a
venue, however, the chances of any number of issues arising from having students in a personal
vehicle and neglecting the purely professional relationship between teacher and student is much
higher.

4) What values do you hold that might influence your response? What experiences have
you had which might influence your response?
Professional values such as duty of care, code of ethics and code of conduct all present
reasonable arguments for not ever placing a student/students in my private vehicle. There is
firstly the danger of whether it is ethical or not to transport a child privately, whether it is safe for
the student and the teacher and why there is a need to even transport a child in the first place
that is beyond the job description and inappropriate in my opinion.

5) How might you involve negotiation in responding to the situation? What would your
judgment be? include a plan of: action, documentation and reflection.
In this situation, I would not put myself in a position in which there could be a negotiation required
for this situation. As a staff member, there is no requirement for me to individually transport
students. The student is my responsibility in and around the school, but it is the role of the parent
to ensure their children have adequate access to transport for their individual extracurricular
activities. If it were 100% necessary for a teacher to be travelling privately with a student I would
ensure that there was written consent from a parent or guardian, more than one staff member in
the car at all times and a sign off sheet to be signed when the student/s arrived safely.
Alternatively, and preferably organise a bus.

No 3

Mr. J is very popular with the students. He often converses and jokes with the students in the
halls between classes. It is common for him to greet female students and staff with a hug and
male students and staff with a pat on the back. One student has complained to the administration
that Mr. Js hugs or physical contact makes him uncomfortable. Mr. J has been advised by the
principal to stop all physical contact with students and staff. He agrees to try, but he cant promise
anything because that is the way he is and he isnt doing anything wrong.

Please respond to each of the five discussion threads below:

1) What is the dilemma? What are the issues?


The issue is that a student has been made to feel uncomfortable by the actions of a teacher, and
that teacher has been asked to alter his behaviour for the benefit of that student and others, and
is not 100% compliant with that request from the principal.

2) What are the legal aspects? What professional considerations are there?
A teacher is not permitted to touch a student without asking for permission first, for example in a
physical education class I am required to ask a student if I may touch them prior to altering their
throwing technique or spotting them in gymnastics prior to doing so, even though it is a
completely innocent interaction, it requires consent. If any student is made to feel uncomfortable
by a teachers actions, action Is required to ease the mind of the student. Whether the concern is
warranted or not, the student feels uncomfortable and it is the responsibility of the staff through
their duty of care to ensure that students mind is put at ease following the complaint.

3) What ethical principles are at play and how would you resolve conflicts between
principles?
Principle 1.5: Teachers are always in a professional relationship with their learners
This principle is at play due to the nature of physical contact potentially breaching his
professional relationship with students. Obviously there is more than one student in the class and
many have no issue whatsoever with the teachers actions. However, this teacher has been
asked by the principal to abide by the professional standards and ethical principles and is not
necessarily agreeing to do so which is unethical in itself. A teacher is solely responsible for
their own behaviour and control, and if he cannot guarantee his professionalism toward students
in a classroom then he shouldnt be trusted to be within one.
4) What values do you hold that might influence your response? What experiences have
you had which might influence your response?
The main value I hold that would influence my response is that students, and all people, deserve
to feel safe and supported within a school or work setting. It is arguably a non-issue if no
students had spoken up and voiced their concern, but since one student has the behaviour
needs to stop. All students, not just the majority have the right to a safe learning environment.

5) How might you involve negotiation in responding to the situation? What would your
judgement be? include a plan of: action, documentation and reflection.
To negotiate this situation I would place a written request for this teacher to refrain from touching
students completely which he would sign. I would record each conversation with students and
staff regarding any correspondence within this situation, and host follow up/support meetings for
this teacher and students if deemed appropriate.

No 7
Mr. L would frequently catch his students high-fiving each other as they made up names to
describe a female student in their class who they thought was unattractive. He would give
students a disapproving look, but their behaviour didnt stop. On more than one occasion, he
witnessed them kick her in the back of the knees or trip her. When the female student
complained to Mr. L, he explained to the student that this type of behaviour will stop if she simply
ignores it.

Please respond to each of the five discussion threads below:

1) What is the dilemma? What are the issues?


The dilemma is bullying and harassment occurring under the watchful eye of a teacher who
refrains from addressing the issue within his classroom.

2) What are the legal aspects? What professional considerations are there?
By neglecting to address the issue within the classroom, Mr. L is neglecting to adhere to his duty
of care to all students within the class and is choosing to turn a blind eye to blatant harassment.
He could therefore be found negligent and lose his job and teaching registration.

3) What ethical principles are at play and how would you resolve conflicts between
principles?
- Principle 1.2 Teachers treat their learners with courtesy and dignity
- AITSL Professional Standards for Teachers: Standard 4- create and maintain supportive and
safe learning
- The schools individual code of conduct and bullying and harassment policies which would
clearly state an action plan of more than just disapproving looks toward the bullys.

There are no conflicts within this scenario the teacher is neglecting this student and allowing
unacceptable behaviour. He has provided inadequate care to the female student in this class.
4) What values do you hold that might influence your response? What experiences have
you had which might influence your response?
I believe that no person should be treated in any way which could be considered bullying or
harassment. Whether the students intended on causing pain or angst is irrelevant, as the female
student would no doubt have been feeling those emotions anyway. If it is within my power and I
have the knowledge of any like behaviour, I feel it is my responsibility to address this issue with
all parties and make it stop before it causes further damage.

5) How might you involve negotiation in responding to the situation? What would your
judgement be? include a plan of: action, documentation and reflection.
This teacher handled the situation very poorly. If it were me in the classroom, I would speak to
the students who were acting inappropriately and adhere to the school bullying/harassment
policy and code of conduct guidelines to ensure the correct support and disciplinary actions were
taken, and that the issue was correctly recorded and mandatory reporting practices were
correctly followed. I would meet with the female student and have her record a statement, then
encourage her to speak to the welfare person/team to ensure her mental health is adequately
looked after.

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