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Beyond Your Board’s Code of Ethics NSBA—San Francisco,CA—April 8, 2003

Beyond Your Board’s Code of Ethics NSBA—San Francisco,CA—April 8, 2003. James C. Klagge SB Rep.—Montgomery County, VA Professor of Philosophy, VA Tech. Two Goals. Wake You Up! Leave with some helpful ideas: How ethical issues arise Some moral principles The dangers of ethical issues

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Beyond Your Board’s Code of Ethics NSBA—San Francisco,CA—April 8, 2003

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  1. Beyond Your Board’sCode of EthicsNSBA—San Francisco,CA—April 8, 2003 James C. Klagge SB Rep.—Montgomery County, VA Professor of Philosophy, VA Tech

  2. Two Goals • Wake You Up! • Leave with some helpful ideas: • How ethical issues arise • Some moral principles • The dangers of ethical issues • Can we reframe ethical issues?

  3. Ethical Issues • How do ethical issues arise? • People’s welfare is affected • Some kinds of cases in board’s code • Misbehaving: Misleading, confidentiality, personal advantage, being partial, etc. • Some kinds are not • “Cub Scouts on the SB”!

  4. Cub Scouts on the SB! • Many choices we make trade-off the welfare of some people for the welfare of others: • Salary scales: new vs. experienced teachers • Salary/PTR: Teachers vs. Students? • Average students vs. special students • Snow routes: Supported st’s vs. unsupported • Meeting standards vs. caring for kids • Some school vs. another school • Other cases?

  5. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it.

  6. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • Salary scales: new vs. experienced teachers

  7. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • Salary/PTR: Teachers vs. Students?

  8. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • Average students vs. special students

  9. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • Snow routes: Supported st’s vs. unsupported

  10. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • Meeting standards vs. caring for kids

  11. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • Other cases?

  12. Some Moral Principles • Do what will produce the greatest good overall, regardless of who is benefited. • Do what will benefit those least well-off. • Do what will benefit those who most deserve it. • How decide between these principles?

  13. Dangers of Ethical Issues • Cases where people dig in their heels, and are not willing to accept trade-offs: • Mascot issues • Sex ed, Gay-Straight Clubs, Evolution, Math texts! • Others?

  14. Dangers of Ethical Issues • Labeling an issue as “moral” puts everyone on the defensive. • Calm, reasoned discussion becomes very difficult. • School boards, as political bodies, are suited for search for common ground, compromise, and “majority rules”.

  15. Dangers of Ethical Issues • Once an issue is labeled as “moral,” compromise is often ruled out as betrayal, common ground is difficult to find, and “majority rules” is anathema. • Playing the “morality card” can be a substitute for having to gain popular support for your position. • Moralists vs. Populists

  16. Reframing Ethical Issues • Can we avoid moral issues? • Not always. Examples? • Can we minimize people’s framing issues as moral issues? • We can try to avoid doing it ourselves! • Don’t give up on the responsibility to marshal political support for your views.

  17. Reframing Ethical Issues • Moralistic decisions, made without popular support, are not generally sustainable in the long run. • Moralists do the right thing, regardless of what others think. • Moralists don’t make the best leaders. • Good leaders encourage a process that might lead people to do the right thing.

  18. Beyond Your Board’sCode of EthicsNSBA—San Francisco,CA—April 8, 2003 James C. Klagge www.phil.vt.edu/Jklagge/Homepage.htm Click on “Public Issues Publications” Jklagge@vt.edu

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