Ethical Decision-Making Model Presentation Megan Anderson COUN7449 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ethical Decision-Making Model Presentation

Megan Anderson

COUN7449 Family, School, Community Collaboration

Assignment Description

OBJECTIVE: Fulfill MEd portfolio requirement, “Assignment that reflects ethical philosophy and/or professional issues in the Counselor Education concentration.” DESCRIPTION: Candidates will identify an ethical decision-making model and apply the model to an ethical dilemma situated within the PK-12 school setting. Candidates will complete an action response proposal outlining suggested steps towards addressing the dilemma, congruent with the identified model.

Ethical Dilemma Scenario

A young female high school counselor at a high school also coaches the girls’ and boys’ varsity track team. She has both track teams over for cookouts and sleepovers at her house. She doesn’t mind if they drink alcoholic beverages, as long as they stay at her house and don’t drive. Her boyfriend, who lives with her, is also at her house. The coach and her boyfriend usually retire around midnight but always wake early to cook breakfast for teams in the morning.

Ethical Decision-Making Model

• 1. Model Chosen: Solutions to Ethical Problems in Schools (STEPS) ethical-decision-

making model, from “School Counseling Principles: Ethics and Law,” by Carolyn Stone, Ed.D.

• 1. Define the problem emotionally and intellectually
• 2. Apply the ASCA Ethical Standards and the law
• 3. Consider the students’ chronological and developmental levels
• 4. Consider the setting, parental rights and minors’ rights
• 5. Apply the moral principles
• 6. Determine Your potential courses of action and their

consequences

• 7. Evaluate the selected action
• 8. Consult
• 9. Implement the course of action

Solutions to Ethical Problems in Schools (STEPS) ethical-decision-making model

• 1. Defining the problem emotionally and intellectually
• Big Issues = Dual Relationships and Harm to the Student
• Sleepover counselor’s house More of a friend relationship than professional
• Lose the professional counselor relationship Hard to get back
• Counselor goes to sleep Leaves the students unattended Could drive  Harm to multiple

people

• Counselor goes to sleep Leaves the students unattended Children can have sex with one

another causing harm to the student and others

• Boyfriend stays over (who she may not know very well) Could cause harm to students
• Breaking the LAW
• Use of alcohol is against the law if you are underage, and is causing harm to students in the

process

• alcohol poisoning and prolonged damage to the student.

Solutions to Ethical Problems in Schools (STEPS) ethical-decision-making model

• 2. Applying the ASCA ethical code and the legal issues

ASCA National Ethical Standards for School Counselors

• A.4. Dual Relationships:
• b. Maintain appropriate professional distance with students at all times.
• A.7. Danger to Self or Others:
• a. Inform parents/guardians and/or appropriate authorities when a student poses a

danger to self or others. This is to be done after careful deliberation and consultation with other counseling professionals GA Code of Ethics for Teachers

• (b) Standard 2: Conduct with Students - An educator shall always maintain a

professional relationship with all students, both in and outside the classroom. Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to:

• 6. furnishing tobacco, alcohol, or illegal/unauthorized drugs to any student; or
• 7. failing to prevent the use of alcohol or illegal or unauthorized drugs by students

who are under the educator’s supervision (including but not limited to at the educator’s residence or any other private setting).

Solutions to Ethical Problems in Schools (STEPS) ethical-decision-making model

• 3. Considering the student’s chronological and developmental levels
• Students at the high school age have not fully developed their frontal lobe, which is part of

decision making. The majority of the students do not have the ability to think about the consequences of their actions before they make them. Therefore, it is important that students are supervised adequately and are not illegally using drugs or having sex.

• 4. Considering the setting, parental rights and minor’s rights
• The setting violates the professionalism that should be in place as a counselor, because it

takes place at the counselor’s house. If there is some sort of celebration that should take place, it should happen at a public restaurant or the house of one of the students and hosted by the parents’.

• In this example, it does not say that parents have allowed students to partake in this
• sleepover. Parents have the right to know what is happening with their student at all time. In

this situation, there seems to be a lack of knowledge on the parents’ part.

• It seems like the minor’s rights are not considered because we do not know what is going on

when the counselor is sleeping. Students could be forced into doing things at this sleepover that they do not want to do.

Solutions to Ethical Problems in Schools (STEPS) ethical-decision-making model

• 5. Applying the moral principle
• Nonmaleficence is a moral principle that is being broken in this example. The

counselor is causing harm to the student.

• 6. Determining a potential course of action and its consequences
• I think if I heard about this from another professional or a student, there would

need to be steps taken to address this with the counselor and make sure it doesn’t happen again. First, I would want to investigate the issue to see if what I heard is really what happened. Sometimes rumors can get started and things can get mixed up in translation. Then, if I have reasonable belief that this has actually happened, I think I would go straight to the principal about the issue. I do not think this is an issue that has any grey area, I think it is breaking the law and needs to receive consequences.

• I believe the consequence should be a suspension of license, mostly because as I

stated before, there is no grey area, what happened is against the law. Then, after reasonable time and training of some sort, reinstating of the license could possibly be issued. If for some reason something like this has happened before, I think the best consequence is to revoke the license because it is obvious the person is not suitable as a school counselor or school professional.

Solutions to Ethical Problems in Schools (STEPS) ethical-decision-making model

• 7. Evaluating the selected action:
• Before reporting the issue to the principal, I might make sure that the

principal is the best person to report this to. If there is some sort of dual relationship between the counselor and the principal, it could affect the judgment and consequence necessary.

• 8. Consulting with peers:
• Before I report this to the principal, I might consult with a professional peer

and see if what I want to do is the best course of action. Sometimes my own personal opinions and what I see as right and wrong could get in the way of my thought process.

• 9. Implementing the selected course of action
• I would choose the best course of action based on what I have discussed with

my professional peer.

Supporting References

• ASCA School Counselor Association (2010). Ethical standards for school
• counselors. Retrieved from:

https://wvde.state.wv.us/institutional/Counselors/ASCAEthicalStandards.pdf

• Williams, R. (2007). Solutions to ethical problems in schools. Retrieved from:

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/magazine/blogs/november-december- 2007/solutions-to-ethical-problems-in-schools