Should Teachers Be Good People?
Should Teachers Be Good People?
When parents send their children to school each morning, they do so with the intent of their child going to an educational and ethical environment. But in recent years the moral value at our schools seems to be in sharp decline. Is it possible to expect our children to be ethical people when they are surrounded by unethical examples?
The National Council on the Accreditation of Teacher Education and many state education departments take temperament or disposition under consideration when recommending students for certification. (Imber, 2006) Because teachers have such a major influence in the lives of our children, they should be held responsible for their actions in and out of the classroom
The Supreme Court of 1925, in a case known as Pierce vs. Society of Sisters, decided that states were allowed to regulate any school, public or private. One of these regulations was a requirement that teachers be of good character. The standards of the National Council for Accreditation state:
Candidates work with students, families, and communities in ways that reflect the dispositions expected of professional educators as delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. Candidates recognize when their own dispositions may need to be adjusted and are able to develop plans to do so. (NCATE, 2002, ¶ 3)
Historically, teachers were expected to be models of good behavior. They were the instructors of not only knowledge, but also morals and virtues. What chance did a school have of teaching its students not to drink if its teachers were seen at the local bar?
The most obvious way to teach is by example. Students imitate teachers they trust.
Anyone with access to the media has heard the name Mary Kay Letourneau; she is the 34-year-old teacher who became infamous in 1996 when she had sex with her then 12-year-old student. At the time the entire country was in complete shock and disbelief...
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