Unethical behavior in school settings can take many forms and can have serious negative consequences for students, teachers, and the school community. Some examples of unethical behavior in schools include cheating, plagiarism, inappropriate teacher-student relationships, bullying, discrimination, and misuse of school funds or property. While rules, policies, and codes of conduct aim to discourage unethical actions, it’s impossible to prevent all instances of wrongdoing. It’s important for schools to establish clear expectations for ethical conduct, model integrity, and take steps to promote a positive school culture.
What is Unethical Behavior?
Unethical behavior refers to actions that violate accepted moral standards and principles. These standards can be based on social norms, organizational policies, professional codes of conduct, religious beliefs, or laws. In general, unethical behavior tends to have one or more of the following characteristics:
- It violates established rules, policies, laws, or moral obligations
- It breaches trust, exploits others, or inflicts harm intentionally or through negligence
- It is motivated by self-interest or personal gain
- It disregards consequences or risks that affect others negatively
- It takes unfair advantage or manipulates situations or people
Unethical conduct is often rationalized by those who engage in it. However, actions that disregard ethics, morality, and the effects on others are considered unacceptable in schools and most organizations.
Examples of Unethical Behavior in Schools
Some specific examples of unethical behavior that can occur in school settings include:
Cheating
Cheating involves students using dishonest methods to get higher grades on tests, assignments, or projects. This can include copying or sharing answers with others, bringing in unauthorized materials to exams, submitting work done by someone else, and other forms of academic dishonesty. Cheating violates principles of integrity and fairness central to education.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own without proper citation or credit. Students sometimes plagiarize by copying directly from sources or purchasing pre-written essays online without attribution. Like cheating, plagiarism demonstrates academic dishonesty.
Inappropriate Student-Teacher Relationships
It is unethical for teachers to engage in romantic or sexual relationships with students, even if the student is of legal age of consent. Such relationships involve an imbalance of power that makes meaningful consent difficult. This type of misconduct violates policies, professional standards, and public trust.
Bullying & Harassment
Bullying involves repeated aggressive behavior that intimidates or harms another person physically or emotionally. Harassment refers to unwelcome conduct based on protected characteristics like race, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Bullying and harassment create unhealthy school environments where students feel unsafe and unable to thrive.
Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when students, teachers, or staff are treated unfairly or denied opportunities based on race, gender, disability, or other characteristics unrelated to their abilities or qualifications. Discrimination goes against ethical principles of equality, justice, and human rights.
Misuse of School Resources
Theft, embezzlement, and misuse of school funds, property, or resources for personal gain are clearly unethical. Similarly, school officials neglecting their duties or using their position for personal profit violates public trust. These actions divert resources meant to benefit students and the school community.
Why is Unethical Behavior Problematic in Schools?
Unethical actions in schools are concerning for several reasons:
It Compromises the Learning Environment
Unethical behavior like cheating, plagiarism, and discrimination harms the culture of learning, integrity, and discovery that schools aim to foster. It teaches destructive lessons and models the wrong values.
It Violates Rules and Trust
Most schools have codes of conduct that set clear standards for ethical behavior which unethical actions disregard. When stakeholders break policies, it damages institutional trust and reputation.
It Can Harm Well-Being & Development
Unethical conduct like bullying, harassment, and abuse of power can cause extensive harm to victims. It impedes healthy development and can have lasting negative impacts.
It Demonstrates Disrespect for Others
Actions like cheating, stealing, and discrimination show little concern for how one’s behavior affects others. They reflect and promote self-interest over community or greater good.
It Threatens a Safe Environment
Students require a safe setting to fully engage in learning without fear. Unethical behavior undermines safety, causing stress and distraction that inhibits academic success.
It Wastes Resources
When funds or property are misused for personal gain, it diverts resources meant to support school programs and students. The costs and labor to address unethical actions also becomes a misuse of resources.
Examples of Unethical Behavior in Schools
While many factors can motivate unprincipled actions, some common examples that occur in school settings include:
Pressures to Succeed Academically
Immense pressure on students to earn high marks can lead some to cheat to get ahead or avoid failure. Similarly, schools and teachers under pressure to meet certain standards may act unethically to appear more successful.
Lack of Understanding or Care for Rules
Students or staff may knowingly violate codes of conduct due to a lack of understanding of why the rules exist or lack of concern for the rules. Some simply disregard policies if they feel they won’t get caught.
Limited Supervision
Inadequate adult supervision, large class sizes, and crowded environments make it easier for misconduct to occur undetected, especially forms of cheating, theft, and bullying.
Poor Role Models
When those in authority roles model unprincipled behavior themselves, they can normalize it. Without good examples, some students adopt misguided beliefs that the ends justify unethical means.
Difficult Life Circumstances
Trauma, family problems, poverty, disabilities, or mental health issues can sometimes contribute to increased behavioral issues in schools. While not an excuse, these are factors to consider.
Desire for Power, Status & Recognition
For some students or staff, the desire for popularity, control over others, and accolades leads to unethical choices to obtain influence, dominance, or admiration.
Lack of Connection & Community
When students feel disconnected or marginalized at school, the lack of belonging and empathy for others can fuel misconduct and dismissal of school rules and values.
Impacts & Consequences of Unethical Behavior
The impacts and consequences of unprincipled actions in schools can be wide-ranging and severe. Some potential effects include:
Erodes Trust & Credibility
Unethical conduct like cheating scandals or misuse of funds damages institutional credibility and trust in leadership. Stakeholders lose faith when those entrusted to set good examples violate them.
Harms School Culture & Climate
Misbehavior that goes unchecked can normalize further misconduct, creating a toxic environment. It signals codes and policies are meaningless, encouraging dismissal of rules.
Lowers Morale & Engagement
Unethical incidents can dishearten students and staff, decreasing satisfaction and investment in the school community. It makes the environment feel unsafe or unjust.
Increases Tensions & Divisiveness
Unethical actions often pit groups against each other, breeding resentment, rumors, and discord. Bullying and discrimination, for instance, divides students.
Spurs Conflicts & Protests
Serious incidents like harassment scandals or misuse of funds may spur angry protests, parent complaints, lawsuits, and community backlash. These are distracting and difficult to resolve.
Invites Legal & Financial Consequences
Lawsuits, fines, funding cuts, and individual job loss are possible consequences. Settlements and legal costs also divert resources away from education.
Academic & Career Harm
Cheating scandals can invalidate test scores, rankings, and reputation. Students may fail courses or be barred from teams or programs. Staff may lose credentials or employment.
Emotional & Mental Harm
Bullying, abuse, and discrimination can cause trauma with effects like anxiety, depression, shame, and lasting damage to self-esteem and identity, especially for youth.
Strategies to Discourage Unethical Behavior in Schools
While preventing all unethical conduct is unrealistic, schools can take proactive steps to promote integrity and ethical decision-making:
Lead by Example
Administrators and staff must model integrity in their own conduct, decision-making, and management of resources. It establishes ethical leadership critical for setting expectations.
Establish Clear Codes of Conduct
Concise policies on ethics and behavior backed by training and signed agreements help reinforce standards and consequences for violations.
Increase Visibility & Supervision
Limiting areas without adult monitoring and using security measures like cameras can deter misconduct. It also increases accountability.
Promote Transparency
Regular communication and financial reporting enhances trust in leadership and reduces perceived opportunities for misusing funds or power.
Create Reporting Systems
Safe, confidential systems for reporting concerns empowers stakeholders to speak up when they witness unethical actions. It aids in early intervention.
Train Stakeholders on Ethics
Education for all stakeholders on ethics, policies, consequences, restorative practices, and issues like implicit bias strengthens understanding.
Build Healthy Community
Initiatives to foster inclusivity, respectful dialogue, mentorships, student voice, and community service promotes empathy and shared purpose.
Recognize Ethical Behavior
Systems to celebrate and reward acts of integrity and courage when confronting wrongdoing inspires others to uphold standards.
Enforce Consequences Fairly
Applying stated consequences for violations consistently demonstrates that unethical actions have repercussions and rules matter.
Offer Counseling & Guidance
Where appropriate, counseling, peer support, restorative practices, and rehabilitation can guide those who violate rules back to making ethical choices.
Examples of Unethical Behavior in Schools
Here are some real-world examples of unethical incidents that have occurred in school settings:
Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal
In 2011, a report found nearly 200 teachers and principals in Atlanta Public Schools changed student test answers to higher scores. Under pressure to raise achievement, staff engaged in widespread cheating affecting around 44 schools and 178 educators. The scandal led to educator convictions and dismissals.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Admissions Scandal
In 2009, the CEO of CPS was found to have steered 25 well-connected students to elite schools, bending admissions rules. Other officials helped provide advantages to certain applicants. The scandal revealed manipulation of the process through nepotism and favoritism.
El Paso Independent School District EPISD Scheme
Leaders at EPISD manipulated student data between 2006-2013 to make low performing schools appear to meet federal standards. Administrators pressured staff to keep students held back or push out immigrant and disabled students. The scandal led to prison sentences for the superintendent and other administrators.
West Virginia Teachers’ Strike
In 2018, West Virginia teachers went on strike for 9 days over low wages and rising healthcare costs. To compensate, some teachers who continued working during the strike submitted falsified absences to also receive strike pay. The unethical action added further controversy, though no charges were filed.
New York Regents Exam Cheating
In 2011, investigators found teachers and administrators had illegally provided answers to students during Regents exams at a dozen New York schools over 5 years. Luxury vacations and other gifts were lavished on teachers to encourage lax testing protocols. Several educators were fired or resigned.
Davenport School District Embezzlement
In 2018, an investigation revealed the COO of Davenport Schools embezzled $80,000+ over 6 years. The funds intended for a juvenile assistance program were used by the COO for personal purchases and entertainment. The COO pled guilty and received 10 years in prison.
Key Factors in Promoting Ethical Behavior in Schools
There are several critical elements that can help establish and sustain ethical conduct in school settings:
Values-Based Leadership
Principals and administrators must exemplify the types of character, integrity, and care for community they wish to see in students and staff. Their example provides legitimacy to efforts promoting ethics in schools.
Explicit Rules & Expectations
Codes of conduct codify standards, acceptable behavior, rights and responsibilities, and enforcement procedures so all stakeholders understand what ethics look like in practice.
Training & Dialogue
Ongoing professional development, classroom lessons, community forums, and activities provide critical opportunities to clarify ethical thinking, discuss grey areas, role play, and internalize standards.
Visible Monitoring Systems
Security methods like cameras, plagiarism detection software, and processes like requiring exam proctors and dual grading deter misconduct by increasing accountability.
Internal Controls & Audits
Protections like requiring multiple sign-offs for spending, employee rotation, budget transparency, limits on decision-making authority, routine audits all reduce opportunities for financial improprieties.
Outreach to Community Stakeholders
Engaging families, community groups, religious organizations, youth programs, local government, and businesses enlists them as partners in promoting student ethics and success. Their collaboration strengthens messaging.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
SEL equips students with skills in self-management, decision-making, interpersonal relationships, and responsible choices, providing a foundation for making ethical decisions.
Restorative Approaches
Restorative practices focus on repairing harm through open dialogue, accountability, making amends. This aims to reintegrate, rehabilitate and avoid labeling or isolating students, which can further fuel future misconduct.
Conclusion
Unethical conduct unfortunately arises at times in school settings due to intense pressure, lack of supervision, poor role models, and rationalizations for prioritizing self-gain over principles. While some unprincipled actions stem from ignorance or circumstance, deliberate harms and violations of trust harm the learning community, school culture, and students’ development. By establishing high standards starting from leadership, training stakeholders, deterring violations, responding promptly and fairly to address them, and promoting social-emotional skills and a caring community, schools can significantly limit unethical behavior and its damaging effects. With vigilance and modeling of integrity, schools can implement both rules and values that support ethical conduct and decision-making.