Name: Brad Ostendorf

EAD-533 Ethics Quiz

Multiple Choice

1. Who is required to follow the mandatory reporting rules related to unprofessional

conduct?
a. Teachers
b. Administrators
c. Parents
d. All certificated school employees
e. All school employees

2. What is a possible consequence for failing to investigate a report of unprofessional

conduct by a school employee?
a. Warning by the human resources department
b. No consequences
c. Loss of administrative credential
d. An angry parent

3. Which of the following is NOT an example of a violation of professional ethics?

a. Sharing student grade information with another student
b. Coming to a school activity after participating in happy hour with colleagues
c. Breaking a contract and leaving your job before the end of the year without
board approval
d. Working at the same school as your spouse
e. Sharing your password to your school computer with someone else

4. If an administrator receives a report of suspected child abuse from a student, who must
they notify?
a. The district human resources administrator
b. The local police department (What about child protective services?)
c. The student’s parents
d. The State Board of Education
e. All of the above
f. a, b, c
g. a, b, d

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 5. An administrator is required to report unprofessional conduct to the State Board of
Education within _____ days.
a. 3
b. 5
c. 7
d. 10

Short Answer
In 50 – 100 words, respond to the following statements. Be sure to use appropriate sentence
mechanics.

1. How would you define the term “professional ethics”?

Professional ethics are principles that dictate the behavior of an individual in a work
environment. These ethics essentially serve as a set of rules for how a professional
should act towards others. In the case of a school principal, professional ethics guide
how they interact with all stakeholders so that a safe and positive learning environment
can be established for the community.

2. Provide an example of how a professional educator would promote the profession

within the school community.

One of the most effective ways for a professional educator to promote the profession is
to advocate for adequate resources to ensure equitable opportunities for all students in
the school. This could include reaching out to local businesses to build relationships and
potentially raise funds that could ultimately make the school environment a better place
for the community.

3. Why would it be important for a building principal to report unprofessional conduct by a

staff member to the central office/district leadership?

Reporting unprofessional conduct to all necessary parties is important so that everyone

can be on the same page. District leadership ultimately will be brought into situation for
a multitude of reasons including legal concerns, hiring to replace the position,
stakeholder communications, disciplinary action, etc. There are many protocols that the
district office may have to follow if unprofessional conduct were to occur, so getting
them involved early and keeping them up to date will allow them to take the necessary
steps to keep all stakeholders protected.

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 4. School administrators must pay attention to their own professional ethics and the ethics
of the employees they supervise. Describe how an administrator can best model the
highest level of ethics for their staff?

The best way for a principal to model the highest level of ethics is to have a code or
guide in which they personally follow. Leading by example is the best way to establish
expectations for staff members. I would recommend that every principal consistently
review the “Model Code of Ethics for Educators” and use it to guide every action they
make. It would also be beneficial to display or present this model code of all ethics to
staff members, so they are familiar with expectations. This could be done through PD,
beginning of the year Inservice, or simply posting the code in common areas.

5. What steps should be completed, regarding a background check for a potential

employee, prior to hiring that person? As it relates to background checks, is there a
difference between hiring a certified versus a non-certified employee?

All employees must undergo a background check to work within a school district.
All employees who will be working directly with children without being supervised by
certificated employee must obtain a fingerprint clearance card. These background
checks will ensure that the staff member being hired has been honest with the
information they have provided the district as well as checking for any potential
concerns regarding their criminal record. These protocols are in place to keep all
stakeholders safe.

Scenarios
Respond to each of the following scenarios in a well-crafted paragraph of 150-200 words using
appropriate sentence mechanics.

1. A principal is planning a professional learning session on data privacy for the faculty.
What components must be included? Why? How is this issue connected to professional
ethics?

Professional educators must consider the impact of creating, storing, or communicating

information through all technologies. This is an ethical responsibility identified in the
“Model Code of Ethics for Educators”. To ensure all educators are aware of
expectations, all trainings should include the appropriate use of social media,
communication platforms, storing of confidential data, cyber bullying, FERPA and the
sharing of student information via technology, and the positive/appropriate use of
technology in the classroom. Educating staff members on data privacy is important so
that all staff members and students are protected. At some point, many faculty

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 members will be in possession of sensitive digital information. It is important that they
know how to appropriately store, transport, and communicate this information to keep
themselves, their peers, and students information private.

2. A parent approaches the school principal and reveals that a teacher at the school and
another parent are having an affair. What should the principal do next?

First I would begin communicating with the district leadership regarding this situation. A
scenario like this could create a large ripple effect within the district, so getting them
involved early could minimize the damage. Secondly, with the assistance of the district
office I would conduct an internal investigation regarding the teacher and the parent. I
would try to determine the truth of the situation. If this affair were to be confirmed, I
would ultimately have to remove the teacher from their position. All professional
educators must abide by the model code of ethics, and this code of ethics clearly states
that professional educators must be aware of the problematic nature of multiple
relationships and how they could negatively effect student learning. This situation will
clearly be a detriment to the school environment and must be handled accordingly.

3. Educators have a responsibility to maintain sound mental, physical, and emotional

health and to take appropriate measures when personal or health-related issues may
interfere with work-related duties. Describe three examples of what those measures
might include.

First, I believe all administrators should have an appropriate distribution of leadership

responsibilities among their staff. If a principal isolates themselves in their leadership
position and holds onto all responsibilities, then the day they have to be gone will spell
disaster for the school. If the staff members are appropriately trained and
knowledgeable about what needs to be done, a principal being gone may have little
impact on student learning.
Second, it is important to have somebody qualified to step into the role while you are
gone. Although leadership responsibilities are spread out across the staff, it is still
important to make sure that somebody can represent the school as needed.
Finally, I would make sure to communicate with the district office about the absence.
Overall, they will want to be notified of me being gone and may want to take
precautions to ensure that school functionality still goes well. They may even want to
offer further assistance to support the staff.

4. An assistant principal has persistent concerns about the relationship among a new
teacher and a small group of students who spend a lot of time with the teacher outside
of class. The assistant principal is preparing for a conversation with the principal about
this issue. What questions should the assistant principal anticipate from the principal?
What guidance would you offer the assistant principal in getting ready for the
conversation? How is this conversation related to professional ethics?

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 The assistant principal should anticipate the principal to ask for more details
regarding the meetings. “What factual information do you have regarding this
situation?” “What do you mean by outside of class? Is this taking place during lunch? Off
campus? After school hours?” and finally, “What, if any, steps have already been taken
to address this concern?” These questions will paint a clearer picture of the situation
and will help guide the actions moving forward. It will be important to avoid turning this
situation into something more drastic than it needs to be.
As guidance, I would encourage this AP to approach the situation as informed as
possible. I would also recommend that they avoid sounding accusatory when they meet.
There are a multitude of appropriate reasons that this teacher could be meeting with
students. For example, the teacher and students could be forming a club which would
require them to meet outside of class. If this was the case, the AP could assist the
unaware teacher of how they can formally turn their gatherings into a approved club in
the school. Positive interactions such as this would help to build more positive
relationships with staff members.

5. You are addressing the group of first-year teachers at your school on their first day of
employment. Some of these teachers graduated from a traditional teacher preparation
program, while others did not. What would you tell them about ethics, as it applies to
their job as a teacher, so that all levels of experience and professional backgrounds are
considered?

I would let all teachers know that appropriate ethical behavior is expected regardless of
their teacher preparation program. Attending a specific school, or having a higher level of
education, does not make one teacher more ethically responsible than the next. Every
new teacher can be a strong ethical leader if they stay informed of expectations. To assist
in their understanding, I would incorporate a presentation on expected ethical behavior
into their new teacher training. I would also use this time to require that all new teachers
review and understand their school specific handbook. All school policy is written with
appropriate ethical behavior in mind, so if all new teachers are familiar with school
policy and expectations, they will be more likely to conduct themselves appropriately.
My goal would be to make sure that all teachers feel properly prepared to serve their
students. I would not want any teacher to feel at a disadvantage because their school
experience did not prepare them as effectively as their peers.

6. A governing board member is related to a student in your school. The board member
asks you, as the principal of the school, to change that student’s grade since the student
was only 5 points from an “A”. Why would this be an ethical, as well as legal, violation?

This is an ethical violation because school board members are not to assert their
perceived authority upon anybody. This especially includes teachers/principals and
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 requesting that they change a student’s grade. There are no issues if this school board
member were to approach the principal as a relative, inquiring about the student’s
grade and what can be done to improve it. But, requesting that the grade be changed as
a school board member places the principal in an ethical dilemma as well.
This is a legal issue because policy and laws established by the Board of Education
prohibit school board members from directly impacting teacher/student interactions as
well as student performance. This school board member could be removed from the
board and could potentially place the principal in a position to lose their administrative
credentials.

7. How are school/district policies related to professional ethics? Provide at least two
examples.

All school/district policies are written in alignment with professional ethics. This means
that every policy in place should serve the purpose of protecting both students and
staff.
The first example would be policy that is in place that establishes expectations for
appropriate use of technology. Professional educators have an ethical responsibility to
consider the impact of consuming, creating, distributing, and communicating
information through the use of technology. By putting policy in place that holds
stakeholders accountable for the inappropriate use of technology, ethical misconduct
will be less likely to happen.
A second example of policy being related to professional ethics is any policy that
protects students regardless of their backgrounds. All students have the right to a free
and appropriate education regardless of their age, gender, culture, sexual orientation,
religion, or socioeconomic status. Upholding these rights is the ethical responsibility of
all professional educators. By implementing and enforcing such policy, administrators
are helping keep all students protected and providing them with equal opportunities.

8. A teacher in your school is frequently absent from professional development

experiences offered at your school, without your approval. Why would this be a
violation of professional ethics? What would you do to address this issue?

Professional educators have an ethical responsibility to demonstrate

commitment to high standards of practice. This includes reflecting upon their
professional skills, content knowledge, and competency on an ongoing basis. This means
that all teachers should be committed to ongoing learning if they are committing to the
profession. In the case of this prompt, this teacher is not upholding to this ethical
responsibility by missing professional development opportunities.
To address this issue, I would meet with the teacher to gain clarification as to
why they are not attending any sessions. I would try to identify more relevant PD that
they find more beneficial to them to create more buy in with this teacher. I would also

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 make sure that this teacher understands that attending PD is a schoolwide expectation
and they must start attending. If necessary, this teacher would be placed on an
improvement plan if their absences continue.

9. As an administrator in a small, rural school located in a small town, you are considering
hiring your uncle’s roofing company to perform some repairs at your school. What
procedures would you follow to ensure that no ethical or procurement violations occur?

At the beginning of each school year, all staff members are required to fill out a
conflict-of-interest form which identifies any potential conflicts with relatives who may
own a business in which the school could work with. This is a preventative measure to
ensure that the district does not place themselves into a bad situation. To stay safe, I
would avoid hiring my uncle’s roofing company unless there were no other options.
Assuming that options are limited, I would first post the job and take in multiple bids to
ensure that the best financial decision is being made for the district, regardless of family
connections. Overall, the goal is to obtain competitively priced services/materials that
deliver the most value. Even if my uncles bid was the lowest price, it would still be best
to avoid using his services to prevent conflict of interest.

10. What precautions should be taken to ensure that all of the employees at your school
follow policies governing the use of social media in communicating with students and
parents? How do these policies reflect professional ethics?

The technology department should place restrictions on school connections and

technology to ensure that school accounts/equipment are not being used to access
inappropriate sources. Also, teachers should be educated on the appropriate use of
technology/social media during PD sessions or Inservice trainings. By taking a
preventative approach, teachers will be far less likely to engage in the inappropriate
usage of social media. It would also be beneficial to educate students and parents on
the appropriate use of social media in school. Including social media policy in the
student/parent handbook can assist with that educational process and set clear
expectations for all stakeholders.
Regarding how these policies reflect professional ethics, all professional
educators have a responsibility to understand how the unethical use of technology
could negatively impact the school environment. They must also understand that
communicating with students and parents via social media is an inappropriate use of the
platforms and could create significant conflict.

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 11. One of your assistant principals does not get along with one of your teachers. You did
not know this until after the teacher came to you, the principal, to complain about the
assistant principal after he conducted a classroom observation and wrote a report
critical of the teacher. How would you address the teacher’s concern?

I would first meet with the assistant principal to review the report they wrote
about the teacher. I would want to come to an understanding of what the teacher
meant by “critical” and if this report was that. In this circumstance, I would want to
avoid immediately taking sides without having all the information first. If this report was
inappropriately critical, I would review with the AP the importance of assisting in
teacher growth and how feedback should be constructive rather than critical. I would go
over their concerns and show them how their feedback could have been more
appropriately delivered. I would also remind them that their personal preference of a
teacher should not impact how they professionally interact with them.
If the report seemed to be valid and provided the teacher with appropriate
Feedback, then I would follow up by conducting an observation of my own. I would see
firsthand if the identified concerns really do need to be addressed and I would review
them with that teacher. I would remind them that feedback is not meant to be critical
rather to help them grow as a professional.

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