Journal Assignment-Brianna Rider

Journal Entry 1

Describe the Issue:

 Mr. Garrison teaches 3rd grade
 He has a student named Javier who was diagnosed with ADHD in
1st grade
 His parents decided to put him on medication at that time
 Javier’s parents are now divorced. He sees mom during the
week and dad on weekends.
 Javier’s father & doctor believe the medication is essential for
school success, but mom disagrees and has been withholding
Javier’s medication
 Javier’s father gives his son the medication when he is in his care
 The inconsistency causes Javier to be inattentive in class, and he
has difficulty completing assignments, interacting with peers,
and controlling aggressive behavior

Identify the Ethical Issue:

Is it right for Javier’s mom to withhold his ADHD medication?

Arguments

Yes
 As the mom and the custodial parent, it is her right to determine
what she sees best for her child
 It does not say that withholding the medication causes the
negative side effects. The inconsistency is what causes them.
Therefore, the mom could argue that if dad stopped giving the
medication as well, more positive side effects could ensue.
 There are negative side effects linked to ADHD medication such
as sleep problems and decreased appetite.
 With deterrence, mom could argue that she is sending a
message that medication isn’t always the answer.
 By taking the medication, Javier could view medication as a
problem solver when that isn’t the case in all circumstances.

No

 With rehabilitation in mind, Javier’s academics and behavior in

school lacks due to the inconsistency of the medication. By
 giving him consistency with his medication, it could help make
him a more productive member of society.
 The doctor still believes that the medication is essential to help
Javier in school
 Not doing well in school now could lead to further
academic/school problems down the road
 Javier could experience rejection from his peers
 Retribution: I would assume it would make dad feel better if his
son was consistently receiving the medication.

Ethical Decision:

I believe that it is wrong for Javier’s mom to withhold his ADHD

medication. To me it sounds like the only reason she is withholding
the medication is for arguments sake with the dad. If that is the case,
it is extremely unfair for Javier because his education and social life are
beginning to suffer. As a teacher I am a strong advocate for giving my
students what they need to be the most successful in school and in life
in general. In this case, it sounds like Javier needs the medication to
be the most successful.

Consequentialist/Nonconsequentialist:

My decision making is consequentialist. They believe in creating

the greatest benefit for most people. In the case of Javier, many
people are benefiting if he continues to take his medication. He will be
able to pay attention in class, complete assignments, control his
behavior better, and interact with his peers. Those skills will benefit
not only him but his parents, his teachers, and his peers.

Journal Entry 2

Describe the Issue:

 Mrs. A teaches Kindergarten Spanish
 She has a hard time with classroom management
 She recorded a video of the class to share with parents,
showcasing everything they have learned throughout the year
 Videotaping took place on the last week of school
 A student named Sam, along with other students, was frequently
acting out which was evident in the video
 Mrs. A emailed the completed video to the parents of the class
during summer vacation
  The principal approved sending the email

Identify the Ethical Issue:

Should Mrs. A have sent the Spanish video to parents?

Arguments

Yes
 The video showcased everything the students learned in Spanish
throughout the year
 Parents will enjoy seeing their child’s growth in Spanish
 Rehabilitation: By parents seeing how their children act in class,
they can discuss it with their child and help them learn from their
mistakes
 Deterrence: Mrs. A is sending a message to the parents of the
misbehaving students letting them know how their child acts in
her class

No
 Retribution: By not sending the video, it would make Sam’s
parents feel better. They might get upset if other parents are
seeing him exhibiting negative behaviors.
 The video would not shed Mrs. A in a positive light, especially if
she struggles with classroom management
 The video was taped on the last week of school which does not
accurately show the student’s full potential
 Due to the fact that the video was sent during summer vacation,
many parents might not view it

Ethical Decision:

I do not think the video should have been sent out. As a teacher, if I
wanted to showcase my students’ growth, I would have wanted the
video to exhibit just that. I would not want the video to negatively
showcase any of my students. It is not fair to them.

Consequentialist/Nonconsequentialist:

My decision making is nonconsequentialist. The universal rule of

human conduct states, “Do unto others as you would have others done
unto you.” Regardless if I were a student or a teacher, I would not
want myself shown in any sort of negative light, therefore I would not
want to portray my students in that way. Hence the reason I would not
have sent the video.

Journal Entry 3

Describe the Issue:

 Theresa is going into first grade
 She was assigned Miss Smith as a teacher
 Classroom assignments were sent home on the last day of school
 Theresa’s parents emailed the principal the first week of summer
requesting that Theresa be placed into Mrs. Y’s room because,
“She likes her better.”

Identify the Ethical Issue:

Should the principal honor the parents’ request?

Arguments:

Yes
 The principal did not send out a formal letter stating that teacher
requests had to be made by a certain date
 Rehabilitation: By giving Theresa the teacher she likes, it could
help make her more productive in the classroom and it could
more effectively better her education
 Retribution: It would make Theresa and her parents feel
better/more comfortable
 It could prevent Theresa from “butting heads” with Miss Smith if
she doesn’t like her as much

No
 The reason for switching teachers is not an academic or
behavioral dilemma
 Deterrence: By not allowing the switch, the principal is sending a
message to the other parents that there needs to be a legitimate
reason for making a teacher request
 Miss Smith and Mrs. Y are both great teachers
 The classroom makeup would need to be rearranged which could
create a domino effect of upset parents

Ethical Decision:

I would not honor the parents’ request of placing Theresa into Mrs. Y’s
classroom because she likes her better. A lot of time and effort goes
into dividing students into their classrooms for the following year.
Teachers look at academics and behaviors to make sure the lists are
balanced out. By making a switch after the lists are distributed, it
could throw a big wrench in the whole process.

Consequentialist/Nonconsequentialist:

My decision making is consequentialist. There would be many

consequences of placing Theresa in Mrs. Y’s room. For example, it
would cause the principal and/or the teachers to rearrange the class
lists that were already distributed. By not honoring the parents’
request, it would be producing the most good for more people.

Journal Entry 4

Describe the Issue:

 Callie Smith is a third-year, newly tenured, second grade teacher
who is pregnant, has a 3-year-old son, and has a troubled
marriage
 Callie leaves school at 3:30 each day to spend time with her
family
 Sarah is a student who is not disruptive, but is inattentive and a
slow worker. She struggles with writing and spelling.
 There were no comments in Sarah’s file regarding being tested
for learning disabilities
 It was suggested to Callie by a coworker that she add Sarah’s
name to the Student Study Team’s (SST) agenda
 Callie’s coworker reiterated that the team’s list is very long, and
they might not get to Sarah this semester
 Callie commented, “I don’t need this.”
 Callie thought of many reasons of not adding Callie to the list:
o There would be a lot of time-consuming modifications to be
made which would all have to be documented
o A written report would have to be prepared
o Callie would have to meet with the psychologist, principal,
and Sarah’s parents
o There would be many other additional meetings
o Sarah would probably still remain in her class

 Sarah’s name was not added to the SST’s agenda

 Callie claimed she is working with Sarah individually in class
Identify the Ethical Issue:

Was it right for Callie to leave Sarah’s name off of the SST agenda?

Arguments:

Yes
 Callie is working with her one on one in class
 Callie is trying her best to balance home life with school life
 There was nothing in Sarah’s record indicating that there were
issues in first grade or kindergarten
 The SST’s list was already very long

No
 Rehabilitation: Callie should do everything in her power to make
Sarah a more productive member of society
 Retribution: It could make Sarah’s parents proud of Callie that
she is putting in the extra work to do what is best for their
daughter
 Deterrence: Callie’s actions are sending the wrong message that
her personal life should come before work
 Sarah could continue to struggle in school if she does not receive
the help she needs early on

Ethical Decision:

I do not think it was right for Callie to leave Sarah’s name off of the
agenda. As a teacher I try to do the best I can to help my students
however and whenever they need it. Yes, there should be a balance
between home and work, but I believe there are ways to successfully
find that balance and do what is best for my students and my family.

Consequentialist/Nonconsequentialist:

My decision making is nonconsequentialist. It is a teacher’s obligation

to do what is right for their students. As a struggling student, it is
Sarah’s basic right to get the help she needs.

Journal Entry 5

Describe the Issue:

 Chris is just about to finish his sophomore year
 When he was in middle school, his mom went to rehab for
drinking
 Chris’ dad threatened to leave the mom if she ever drank again
  During Chris’ sophomore year his dad took a new job which
involved a lot of travelling
 Every time Chris’ dad left town his mom would drink
 Chris felt like he was living in a nightmare
 He didn’t want to tell his dad in fear that he would leave them
 Chris also didn’t want anything bad to happen to his mom
 Chris felt mad, hurt, and lonely
 Chris had good friends he could talk to

Identify the Ethical Issue:

Should Chris tell his dad about his mom’s relapse?

Arguments:

Yes
 Rehabilitation: Chris is making an effort to make his mom a
more productive member of society
 Retribution: It might help Chris feel better if he gets it off of his
chest
 Deterrence: Chris is sending a message to his mom that the
situation is making him feel negative feelings
 There is a chance that Chris’ dad will stay to help his family

No
 Chris’ dad could potentially leave if he held true to his threat
 Having his dad leave would add to Chris’ feelings of anger, hurt,
and loneliness
 Chris has a good group of friends he could confide in
 Something bad could happen to Chris’ mom

Ethical Decision:

This is a very hard decision; however, I think that Chris should tell his
dad about his mom’s relapse. I would hope that for the sake of Chris,
his dad would not leave. Having that weight on your shoulders is a lot
to handle for Chris. By not telling his dad about what was going on,
Chris would be living his whole life in a lie which would add to feeling
like he was living in a nightmare. However, this is where I am torn
because his life would continue to be a nightmare if his dad left. I feel
that Chris’ mom’s drinking will only escalate. I think it would be better
for Chris to go to his dad rather than have Chris’ dad find out on his
own. He might be more forgiving if it is coming from his own son.
Consequentialist/Nonconsequentialist:

My decision making is nonconsequentialist. If Chris tells his dad about

his mom’s relapse, there is the consequence of his dad potentially
leaving. However, in this scenario, I believe that duty and obligation
are more important than the consequences. I also believe that this is
something Chris shouldn’t have to deal with alone.