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Overview

In this group competition, students will form a group of 4-6 members to discuss and come to a\ consensus about an education-related dilemma. Students will read the ethical dilemma below, debate the issue with their team leading up to the FEA conference, and present their group consensus to a panel of judges on-site at the conference.

Guidelines

• Groups should spend time discussing the dilemma. There are questions below to help guide the group discussion.
• Once a consensus has been reached, groups will prepare a 5-minute live presentation stating the group’s view on the dilemma. The presentation should be a professional, clear, and decisive response to the dilemma. How the decision was reached and what factors were considered should be included in the presentation.
• Group members may bring notecards to help them throughout the presentation, but the presentation should be smooth and obviously rehearsed.
• Groups should be comprised of 4-6 members of the school chapter, and group members cannot compete in any of the individual competitions.
• One judge will also serve as timekeeper during the presentation. Groups will receive an indication that there is one minute remaining when they reach the four-minute mark of their presentation.
• No outside visual aids will be permitted for the presentation (PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.)
• Only one group per school can enter this group competition.
• Group members should plan on presenting their consensus in business professional dress.

Please review the Ethical Dilema below:

Ethical Dilemma Scenario

Mr. Hill is in his third year as a choir teacher at a small high school with an outstanding performing arts program. In fact, the high school’s spring musical has become known as the cultural event of the year for the community.

The week before the spring musical is always frantic, as Mr. Hill spends hours coordinating with the band, theater, and art teachers about costumes, set design, stagehands, lighting and sound, parent volunteers, and ticket sales, never mind making sure students are prepared for the intense schedule of five performances in three days. Even though the school’s principal made his position very clear that there should be no non-school related texting and phone calls between teachers and students, Mr. Hill feels that it’s important to keep the line of communication with students open during these final weeks, even if it means they sometimes tell him about personal issues.

Issues always arise with students, especially right before production when they must juggle classes, work schedules, and family obligations with the strenuous demands of preparing for the performance, but students always seem to pull through. When students are feeling the stress, Mr. Hill has a knack for cultivating trust and building their confidence with his choir students through encouraging words, texts, and phone calls. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that he was in their shoes!

But even Mr. Hill was not prepared for the late-night phone call from the production’s lead actress and soloist just two days before opening night.

Mr. Hill had worked with Olivia for two years and considered himself a mentor – she had an outstanding voice, great acting skills, and a stage presence that that was beyond what was typical for a high school sophomore. But she also struggled in school, and Mr. Hill suspected that she didn’t have a strong relationship with her parents. He had heard rumors that her parents strongly disapproved of her boyfriend, a senior who had been in trouble a lot in school and was widely believed to be using drugs.

When Olivia called, she was sobbing uncontrollably.

“I made a big mistake – a really big mistake. But Mr. Hill, you must promise me that you will not tell anyone – I trust you more than anyone else at the school. I lied to my parents. Two weeks ago, I told them that I was spending the weekend at a friend’s house to practice my lines – but actually I spent the weekend camping with my boyfriend in another state, more than 100 miles away.

“My parents are furious at me. Not only am I grounded for the remainder of the school year, but my father told me I can’t be in the production this weekend! I know we really don’t have an understudy for my role – but I don’t know what to do. Mr. Hill, you have got to help me. Please help me! Will you please talk to my dad? He trusts you and I know he will listen to you.”

Mr. Hill is under pressure to make sure the musical goes off without a hitch. What steps should Mr. Hill take?

Questions to Consider During Your Debate of the Dilema

• What are some possible unintended consequences of communicating with students outside the school day?
• What potential problems exist for professional educators when they develop relationships with students outside their contracted roles? Is this common practice in other professions? How might issues related to conflict-of-interest, perceptions of bias, or even the unintended entanglement of emotions arise? While mentoring students is widely viewed as part of an educator’s role, what safeguards can be put into place to protect the integrity of the teacher-student relationship?
• What obligations and responsibilities do educators have when they come into possession of information regarding a student’s personal life? Is Mr. Hill acting as Olivia’s teacher in this situation or her mentor?
• What are the implications for teachers when those roles become blurred?
• What competing tensions might Mr. Hill be facing regarding upholding his professional responsibility to produce an exemplary musical, and the request to intervene in Olivia’s family’s decisions, and any concerns he has for Olivia’s well-being? How can educators best respond while maintaining their professional roles?
• How might this situation have been prevented – or could it have been prevented?
• How can teachers best prepare for the myriad unexpected situations that occur when working with students and their families?

Recommended Reading

Educators are often called upon to act as members to students, and many embrace the opportunity to have a meaningful role in the lives of their students outside the classroom. What are some possible unintended consequences of communicating with students outside of the school day?

Ethical Dilemma Group Competition Rubric