The Ethics of Our Profession: The Student and Schooling

Abstract

Five ethical dilemmas are discussed relative to the relationships among students' rights and responsibilities to know, the methods through which this knowledge is obtained, and the purposes for which knowledge is so studied. Given the fact that people involved in education have different biases relative to schooling, it is inevitable that dilemmas will develop. Since these dilemmas involve relationships among people, professonal modes of conduct and references to the cultural heritage, the dilemmas become ethical problems. This paper deals with the student and his or her rights and responsibilities vis-a-vis knowledge and purposes of schooling. Attention is given to the notion of ethics as a parity of rights and responsibilities among students, educators and parents. Further, ethics are seen in a perspective of time, place and culture against which educational standards can be evaluated.