1. Ethics and Civility in Education
V’Andra McBride
AEE 530
Teaching and Learning in Agricultural Sciences

2. AGENDA Define Civility Define Ethics
Connect Civility to Ethics in Education
Ethical dilemma through Decision Making
Conclusion-Feedback

3. PURPOSE OF THIS CLASS Not to make you more civil or ethical
Not to change your values or behaviors
Not to change what you believe
Reflect on what you believe
Better understand what you believe and what others believe
Better understand how we make ethical/civil decisions

4. ETHICS IN EDUCATION Any enterprise or “. . . occupation for which
the necessary preliminary training is
intellectual in character, involving knowledge
and to some extent learning, as distinguished
from mere skill; which is pursued largely for
others, and not merely for one’s own self; and
in which the financial return is not the
accepted measure of success.”
- Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, 1911
graduation address at Brown University

5. CIVILITY IN EDUCATION
“Civility is based on the golden rule that we should treat others as we wish to be treated.”
In government, it means conducting the public's business with respect for other elected officials, staff, and citizens.
In civil discourse, opponents make their arguments on the merits of the case rather than engaging in ad attacks.
-Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam
Schulman, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government
Ethics

6. Linking Civility to Ethics
Civility is about virtue ethics:
-“The cultivation of those traits-such as honesty, fairness, self-control, and prudence-that help us reach our full human potential. When public officials practice civility, they are helping their city, county, state, or country to fulfill its potential by putting the common good ahead of personal rivalries or irritations.”
-Civility is a good example of the difference between ethics and law. While acting civilly is the right thing to do, and government bodies should encourage it, civility cannot be legislated. One city council tried to ban "body language or other nonverbal methods of expressing disagreement or disgust." Ultimately they decided to repeal the ordinance when citizens expressed disgust at the council's need to control eye-rolling and grimacing through legislation.
-Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman,
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics

7. 2 Kinds of Ethics in Education
Objective or External
Ethics laws
Codes of ethics
Rules
Standards of conduct
Conflicts of interest
Subjective or Internal
Values
Character & virtue
Morality and moral authority
Obligations
Ethical dilemmas and resolution

8. ETHICALBUIILDIING BLOCKS
Values
Morality
Virtue
Character
Obligation

9. The Bridges to Civility
Ethics
Empathy
Service

10. MOST IMPORTANT VALUES 1. Truth 62% 2. Compassion 56%
3. Responsibility 54%
4. Freedom 42%
5. Revere Life 40%
6. Fairness 37%
7. Self-Respect 35%
8. Nature 34%
9. Tolerance 32%
10. Generosity 27%
11. Humility 18%
12. Harmony 16%
13. Honor 11%
14. Devotion 10%
15. Elders 7%
- Institute for Global Ethics

11. ETHICS IN EDUCATION Ethical Dilemma Dilemmas Arise When…
Involve a tension between right and right
If your choice is between right and wrong, there’s no dilemma
Dilemmas Arise When…
Doing right results in a bad outcome
Doing wrong results in a good outcome
Action results in a bad outcome
Inaction results in a bad outcome

12. Ethical Dilemmas and Incivility
The primary responsibility of elected officials is to represent their constituents' best interests. It is amazing how often that responsibility is impeded by incivility. Countless hours are wasted in wars and public debates that have nothing to do with the business at hand and everything to do with rudeness.
-Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman,
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics

13. References www.ncacc.org/annualconf/2005_preconf_ethics.pdf
Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, 1911 graduation address at Brown University
Retrieved on 4/17/2007
Senior Fellow Judy Nadler and Communications Director Miriam Schulman, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics
Retrieved on 4/19/2007
Ethics Updates - Ethics Videos Catalogue