Ethical theories

Ethical theories

Chapter 1 of The Ethics of Teaching (Strike & Soltis, 2015) introduces you to the basic ethical concepts and theories. Pay particular attention to the information regarding consequentialist and non-consequentialist ethical theories.
Choose one of the cases from the chapter, or Whose Rights: Students’ or Parents’? from chapter 8. Respond to the following:

Explain what you would do in the situation presented in the case you select, relying on aspects of consequentialist and/or non-consequentialist ethical theory.

Indicate the kinds of questions you would consider in making your decision.

What are some advantages and drawbacks of the ethical theories, especially in light of the case study you chose?

Support your statements with evidence from the required studies and your research. Cite and reference your sources in APA style.

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Reference

Strike, K. A., & Soltis, J. F. (2015). The ethics of teaching (5th ed.). New York: Teachers College.

INTRODUCTION

An Overview of Ethical Theory and Education Law

What is the relationship between law and ethics? Educational policies and law may not always have an obvious connection with ethical values. Yet there are ethical theories, methods for thinking about the relationship between values and appropriate action, that give us tools for understanding the relationship better. By learning some fundamental ethical theories, we will have a better understanding of the rationale of education law. We will also be able to begin to offer a critique of law and policy, and perhaps offer suggestions for improvement.

Two fundamental theories of ethics are 1) consequentialist and 2) non-consequentialist. Our readings will introduce these theories both through explanation and through the examples of case studies, so that we will see how these theories are put into action. From these explanations and examples, we will put our understanding of these theories to use to evaluate and determine appropriate courses of action.

As we complete this week’s required studies we will become familiar with important education legislation at the state and federal levels. While the course material considers important federal laws (because we have students from several states), remember that most educational legislation occurs at the state level, and it is important that you familiarize yourself with particular state laws. As part of this week’s assignment you will locate state resources for learning about and monitoring the laws of your individual state.

(Education Week, 2016) [Closed captioned]

There are a few significant federal laws governing education, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), more commonly known as the Every Child Succeeds Act (formerly known as the No Child Left Behind Act). This law has undergone recent modifications and different administrations have emphasized various aspects of the law, so information regarding the ESEA/ESSA laws is in flux. For now, your focus is on locating the resources that will allow you to monitor and stay current regarding the changes as they occur. The Education Week Every Student Succeeds Act topic page regarding ESSA (listed under Required Sas is the U. S. Department of Education’s website (listed under Recommended Studies). There are many other resources available to you, but these will provide you a solid starting point.