ETHICAL DILEMMAS

¨Begin by citing a local example of an ethical dilemma – or fabricate an example with a student cheating on a test and another student witnessing it. Does the witness report this to the teacher? When do you make the decision to report such an incident? Where are your values around “ratting” on someone? What if you don’t like the person? 

¨ (Your purpose here is to help the students begin to see that they have to make decisions such as these throughout their lives and that some of them will affect their jobs or homes.)

Write down the values that the students use to make their decisions. Point out that there is very often no right or wrong answer. This is one of the aspects of  moral dilemma. But it is very difficult to make the decision without considering the options and your values. Thus, you need to know your own values, and this course will help you to know them better.

Ask the students for common ethical dilemmas in their lives and list these:

e.g.

Thanking your auntie for a gift you hate

Deciding whether or not to have an abortion

Telling your parents where you really were last night

Letting your boss know that your co- worker, whom you like, does no work

THIS COURSE WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS!

¨Now, review the course outline with the students and tell them that, as you continue, you will give them more details about the final project.

¨How do you feel about “ratting’ on another student? Does it depend on who the student is?

¨Have you ever been in court and been asked to “rat” on someone? What did you do?

¨Ask yourself why you did what you did. If you never had this experience, ask yourself what you think you would do – and why.