Ethics and Civility in Education VAndra Mc Bride

Ethics and Civility in Education V’Andra Mc. Bride AEE 530 Teaching and Learning in Agricultural Sciences

AGENDA n n n Define Civility Define Ethics Connect Civility to Ethics in Education Ethical dilemma through Decision Making Conclusion-Feedback

PURPOSE OF THIS CLASS n n n Not to make you more civil or ethical Not to change your values or behaviors Not to change what you believe Reflect on what you believe Better understand what you believe and what others believe Better understand how we make ethical/civil decisions

ETHICS IN EDUCATION Any enterprise or “. . . occupation for which the necessary preliminary training is intellectual in character, involving knowledge and to some extent learning, as distinguished from mere skill; which is pursued largely for others, and not merely for one’s own self; and in which the financial return is not the accepted measure of success. ” - Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, 1911 graduation address at Brown University

CIVILITY IN EDUCATION “Civility is based on the golden rule that we should treat others as we wish to be treated. ” n n In government, it means conducting the public's business with respect for other elected officials, staff, and citizens. In civil discourse, opponents make their arguments on the merits of the case rather than engaging in ad attacks. -Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics

Linking Civility to Ethics n Civility is about virtue ethics: -“The cultivation of those traits-such as honesty, fairness, self-control, and prudence-that help us reach our full human potential. When public officials practice civility, they are helping their city, county, state, or country to fulfill its potential by putting the common good ahead of personal rivalries or irritations. ” -Civility is a good example of the difference between ethics and law. While acting civilly is the right thing to do, and government bodies should encourage it, civility cannot be legislated. One city council tried to ban "body language or other nonverbal methods of expressing disagreement or disgust. " Ultimately they decided to repeal the ordinance when citizens expressed disgust at the council's need to control eye-rolling and grimacing through legislation. -Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics

2 Kinds of Ethics in Education Objective or External n Ethics laws n Codes of ethics n Rules n Standards of conduct n Conflicts of interest Subjective or Internal n Values n Character & virtue n Morality and moral authority n Obligations n Ethical dilemmas and resolution

ETHICALBUIILDIING BLOCKS n n n Values Morality Virtue Character Obligation

The Bridges to Civility n n n Ethics Empathy Service

MOST IMPORTANT VALUES n n n n 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Truth 62% Compassion 56% Responsibility 54% Freedom 42% Revere Life 40% Fairness 37% Self-Respect 35% Nature 34% n n n n 9. Tolerance 32% 10. Generosity 27% 11. Humility 18% 12. Harmony 16% 13. Honor 11% 14. Devotion 10% 15. Elders 7% - Institute for Global Ethics

ETHICS IN EDUCATION Ethical Dilemma n n Involve a tension between right and right If your choice is between right and wrong, there’s no dilemma Dilemmas Arise When… n n Doing right results in a bad outcome Doing wrong results in a good outcome Action results in a bad outcome Inaction results in a bad outcome

Ethical Dilemmas and Incivility n The primary responsibility of elected officials is to represent their constituents' best interests. It is amazing how often that responsibility is impeded by incivility. Countless hours are wasted in e-mail wars and public debates that have nothing to do with the business at hand everything to do with rudeness. -Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics

References n n n Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, 1911 graduation address at Brown University www. ncacc. org/annualconf/2005_preconf_ethics. pdf Retrieved on 4/17/2007 Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics http: //www. scu. edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/government_ethics/introd uction/civility. html Retrieved on 4/19/2007 Ethics Updates - Ethics Videos Catalogue http: //ethics. sandiego. edu/video/Catalogue/all. asp Retrieved on 4/19/2007