Legal, Social, and Ethical Issues in Education in the 21st Century World - What Parents/Guardians...
1. Legal Issues
1.1. Every educator, administrator, and school district has legal obligations to follow to ensure the safety and well-being of your child.
1.2. Here of some of the major legal obligations to keep in mind:
1.2.1. Rights under the constitution:
1.2.2. 1st amendment: No teacher should read the Bible or any other religious document in class nor try to promote any religious beliefs.
1.2.3. 4th amendment: no child can be searched without reasonable cause.
1.2.4. No child can be discriminated against based on: Gender (Title XI) “Race, color, or national origin” (Title VI) (Garner, 2000, 7). Physical or mental disability (Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142))
1.2.5. Every teacher is legally obligated to report any signs of child abuse/neglect they observe, according to the National Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 (Garner, 2000).
1.2.6. You as a parent have the right access certain educational records of your student thanks to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1972 (FERPA) or Buckley Amendment.
1.3. How will your child’s teacher uphold their legal obligations?
1.3.1. Every student will be held to the same expectations.
1.3.2. Teachers will never discriminate against your student for any reason.
1.3.3. Teachers will keep parents well informed of what is going on in the classroom and not deny parents the right to access certain educational records.
1.3.4. Teachers will act as an educator and moral role model but will not share with nor press upon students’ their personal ethical beliefs.
1.3.5. In the event that a teacher suspects any type of abuse or neglect, the teacher will report it to the administrator of the school.
2. Cyberbullying
2.1. Bullying is no foreign topic. I’m sure every parent has either heard of, witnessed, or experienced bullying in their school experience and even into adulthood. With technology, bullying now has another home: the internet. To help protect your child from cyberbullying, here are some signs and symptoms and tips for prevention:
2.2. Sign/Symptoms:
2.2.1. emotional and/or behavioral changes
2.2.2. lack of attention in school
2.2.3. increase in absences
2.2.4. lose=s of interest in school work
2.2.5. anxious, moody, etc.
2.3. How to prevent it:
2.3.1. Be open to your child about cyberbullying- make them feel safe to confide in you and offer them comfort and support should a cyberbullying situation arise.
2.3.2. Check your child’s personal social networking accounts regularly
2.3.3. Make your child aware of the dangers of cyberbullying.
2.3.4. Talk to your child about your own experience with bullying (if you have any). Knowing that everyone, even their parents, can be hurt by bullying will help them feel less different/alienated.
2.4. How will your child’s teacher address cyberbullying?
2.4.1. Cyberbullying cases will be addressed the same as any other bullying incident.
2.4.2. Teachers will emphasize that bullying over the internet can be just as hurtful as in-person bullying and instances of cyberbullying will not be exempt from punishment.
2.4.3. Teachers will emphasize the importance of being kind to peers in and out of the classroom.
2.4.4. Any cyber bullying complaint from a student will be taken seriously and investigated fully.
2.4.5. In the case that a student confides in a teacher about cyberbullying occurring outside of school hours, they will treat the incident as if it had happened within school hours.
3. Ethical Issues
3.1. When you think of school, what comes to mind? Reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies? What about respect, integrity, honesty, and responsibility? In any social setting, even that of growing children, there are bound to be ethical issues that arise. It is the goal of your child's teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors to take these opportunities to teach students the ideal behaviors and dispositions of a moral individual.
3.2. While your child’s teachers will try to instill these morals in all of their students, let it be clearly known that no teacher will ever offer nor try to impose upon your child his/her own personal beliefs in such controversial topics such as religion, sexual preference, abortion, etc. Though these topics may be visited in the classroom, they will be viewed in a completely neutral, unbiased, and objective viewpoint.
3.3. How will your child’s teacher address ethical issues?
3.3.1. Teachers may discuss controversial topics going on in the world today but will address them in an unbiased, neutral way.
3.3.2. Teachers will never disclose their religious beliefs in the classroom.
3.3.3. Teachers will not discriminate against any student on the basis of ethical beliefs.
3.3.4. Teachers will create a friendly, unbiased classroom environment that welcomes debate without pushing any personal beliefs on students.
3.3.5. Teachers will model respect, honesty, and integrity in the classroom and expect the same from all of their students.
4. Racial, Gender, and Socioeconomic Divide
4.1. In education we try to ensure that all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status receives equal opportunities. Historically, the Caucasian, middle-class/upper class male has been the most successful. Thankfully, the United States has grown morally over the past century and education has changed with it, attempting to close the gap between minority and majority groups to ensure equal opportunities for all.
4.2. How will your child’s teacher help to close the gender. racial, and socioeconomic gap?
4.2.1. Teachers will avoid making generalizations about gender (i.e. holding all students up to the same academic expectations)
4.2.2. Teachers will expose students to a variety of career paths and emphasizing the fact that all students are capable pursuing whatever career they desire
4.2.3. Schools are working to increase the use of technology so all students, even those without access to technology at home, can be successful in the 21st century world.
4.2.4. Teachers will be aware of their classroom climate and eliminate any gender, race, or socioeconomic discrimination/stereotypes witnessed among students in the classroom.
4.2.5. Teachers will build lessons around resources available in the school and avoid requiring the use of outside material as much as possible so that all students can be successful.
5. Copyright
5.1. Thinking back to your time in school, I’m sure you are familiar with, or at least have heard of, plagiarism. Plagiarism is using someone else’s ideas in your own work without properly giving credit to the original owner of that idea.
5.2. Here are a few basic tips to understand and discuss with your students to help them maintain academic integrity in all of their work:
5.2.1. Any quote directly copied from another source (book, magazine, website, etc.) is not your own work and therefore needs to be cited.
5.2.2. Most articles and books are protected under copyright law - be mindful of documents with the copyright symbol (©) and follow copyright guidelines.
5.2.3. A common myth about copyright is “if it doesn’t have a copyright notice, it’s not copyrighted” (Johnson, 2005, 16). If you are unsure, it is best to assume it is protected.
5.3. How will your child’s teacher address copyright in the classroom?
5.3.1. Teachers will inform students about plagiarism and teach them the proper way to cite their sources.
5.3.2. Teachers will analyze all student work for instances of plagiarism,.
5.3.3. In the case plagiarism does occur, students may lose points and/or fail an assignment due to academic dishonesty depending on the policy of the school and classroom.
5.3.4. Teachers will be mindful and understanding of the age of your child and adjust their expectations accordingly.
5.3.5. Teachers will model and uphold academic integrity in their own lessons and work and follow copyright laws.
6. Safety Issues
6.1. Your child’s safety is of utmost important to educators. Whether it is concerning safety within the building, within the classroom, among other people, or on the internet, teachers make a conscious effort everyday to make sure your child is in a safe learning environment.
6.2. How will your child’s teacher keep them safe?
6.2.1. School buildings are equipped with locked doors that often require people to buzz to be let in.
6.2.2. Security cameras are installed throughout the school to ensure your child’s safety is monitor in the halls as well as in the classroom.
6.2.3. Specifically regarding the internet:
6.2.3.1. Firewalls are downloaded to all computers to prohibit teachers and students from accessing unauthorized websites/
6.2.3.2. Student access on the internet is restricted further, often prohibiting the use of search engines like Google that could result in a number of inappropriate search results. Rather, students are often required to do their searches with approved educational search engines.
6.2.3.3. Teachers emphasize the importance of anonymity on the internet and strongly discourage students from posting any personal information on the internet.