When you got into a professional practice; responsibilities will always be present. Thus, being a player in the professional world will oblige you to abide certain standards, abstract or concrete.
On the other hand, a couple of ethical concerns surround the environment, the business. Many cannot escape while others can. Others get too eluded in technology while modernization does not stop processing.
For an instance, a photo would be published on a periodical by a certain publication; it is now the duty of the photographer to shoot or not a particular scene [e.g. gory or offensive] – now, a photographer shall also assure if it is newsworthy or just a hype.
Educators, like photographers, also experience the same dilemma. Ethical dilemmas in the field of education are very evident as various cases arise, whether local or national.
In 2003, a public school teacher was reported because of rapping a student in his head bare knuckled. The maltreatment allegedly caused the victim lost interest in participating, eventually attending the classes.
While five years after, a public school teacher in General Santos allegedly killed a student who was recovering from typhus. The teacher purportedly forced the recovering student to squat after not handing over assignments. The student failed to comply in passing their homework due to multiple absences to gain a good health stature as advised by his physician. Allegedly, the student’s death is caused by the aggravating punishment.
Just this year, a public school teacher in Cebu knocked and wounded her student’s head and pulled the hair of another because of singing in class. Unluckily, for the teacher’s side, the parents of the victims charged the offender the RA 7670 (Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act) in Cebu Prosecutor’s Office.
Though banned, there is a continuous hitting and maltreatment, discrimination, humiliation even bullying of the students initiated by a professor – exactly opposite on what we have pledged to do.
We have pledged to nourish professional acts, counter-acting ethical dilemmas , to promote and defend what is written in our constitution and to give what we can, in full extent.
According to Rick D. Niece, Ph. D., author of the Teacher’s Creed, a teacher cares for the students, with fun and as an educator. Being an educator, they say, is principled, but providing education with respect to our profession is even more principled, a lot like professional.
We are paid because this is our work but principle and professionalism are both utterly not for sale.
By: LIRA P. BANTAY
