Case Study Instructions. READ THIS. IT IS IMPORTANT. CASE STUDIES One (1) case study shall be written by each student over the ten-week course. The written case study paper shall be no longer than 3 pages in length and shall be submitted for a grade. The case study shall be based on a real-world ethical situation you have personally encountered and about which you, personally, had to make an ethical decision. The case study format must include the following elements: a. Title of the case b. Facts regarding the case c. A one-sentence statement of the ethical problem (If you cannot reduce the problem down to one sentence, you probably do not fully understand the problem, or it may not be an ethical problem at all. Generally, most problems can be reduced down to lying, cheating, or stealing, or some variation thereof.) d. Possible alternative responses and/or solutions to the ethical problem that were available to you i. Describe each alternative response and/or solution fully ii. Analyze each alternative response and/or solution giving the advantages/disadvantages; pros/cons of each e. Give your recommended alternative and the reasons for choosing it. This alternative may or may not have been the one you chose in the real world. If it was not, please explain why you would act differently today. The purpose of the case study is for you to review a real ethical problem you actually encountered and to examine how you handled it. Therefore, please choose a case study that actually happened to you. Do not pick an ethical problem that does not apply to you. It is easy to solve other people’s ethical problems, it is not so easy to solve your own. Therefore, do not choose a case study unless it required you to personally make an ethical decision. Do not, for example, describe an ethical problem in your workplace or in your profession and then recommend that your employer or the industry within which you work should correct the problem. It has to be a problem that forced you to make an ethical decision. The assignment is intended to give you the opportunity to review how you make ethical decisions, not to review how someone else makes ethical decisions. CASE STUDY A. Title: To Change the Grade or Not Change the Grade: That is the Question? Parties to the case: I. Original English Teacher II. New English Teacher III. John D. (student) IV. School Administrator (me) B. Facts regarding the case: Fact #1: Original English Teacher gave class an assignment before going out on protected leave 5 weeks prior to summer break Fact #2: All students submit work on time before Original English Teacher leaves except one student, John D. He receives a 0 in the grade book. Fact #3: Original English Teacher has a policy to accept late work up to 3 days after due date Fact #4: New English Teacher (hired as a credentialed, long term substitute with a degree in English) is assigned to the class 4.5 weeks prior to summer break (approximately 3 days after Original English Teacher goes out on leave) Fact #5: Student John D. turns in work 4 days late and on Day 2 of New English Teachers assignment. Fact #6: John D. explains that he had trouble at home (without going into details) and really didn’t need to lose points since he was graduating. Fact #7: New English Teacher accepts the work, tucks it away, and is aware of Original English Teacher’s late work policy. She does not grade the work. Fact #8: New English Teacher completes the remaining weeks of the teaching assignment and on the last day after class, is met by John D and his parents who indicate he now has an F because the late assignment is still entered as a 0 in the gradebook and therefore cannot graduate unless the grade is changed. A 50% would give him a D and therefore allow him to graduate. Fact #9: New English Teacher listens to the parents and students position and feels for the John D whose parents have expressed they are in an on-off again relationship and often put their children in the middle. Fact #10: New English Teacher informs parents she will grade the paper herself and change the grade if he deserves it. She does and John D receives a 52%. Fact #11: New English Teacher does not inform the school administrator (me) of this grade change as is required of all grade changes. Fact #12: John D. graduates on Saturday with his peers. Fact #13: The very next Monday, School Administrator (me) receives a call from a parent of one of John D’s friends (who was also a student in the class). The parent wants to know why John D was allowed to graduate even after submitting his work late and her son couldn’t graduate and has far worse situations going on at home. She told me that all students should have been given the opportunity to submit late work since John D was allowed. End of Facts. CASE STUDY Statement of the Ethical Problem: A New English Teacher changed the Original English Teacher’s students grade thereby allowing him to graduate from high school. My position on the ethics of changing the grade as School Administrator: One of the roles of a school leader is to foster integrity in others by conducting him or herself with integrity and ethically at all times. When thousands of students (along with parents) are watching your every move and decision, one must be diligent and extremely careful in this regard. As a school administrator, I have always acted carefully and responsibly, but I admit there have been small mistakes (nothing beyond what is considered normal). I like to think, and still do believe, this was not one of them, but you may feel differently. When the above case was presented to me by the mother of John D’s friend. I instantly believed John D. having earned a passing grade due to the New English Teacher changing his grade was ethically wrong. My reasons why include: ● ● ● ● Original English teacher issued John D the grade he earned prior to leaving. That should have been final. New English teacher has no authority to change another teacher's grade even if she has assumed the position and is a certified teacher herself. Allowing John D to submit late work totally overlooked the fact that other students were not extended this same opportunity regarding their work. School policy prohibits grade changes done by anyone other than the teacher. New English Teachers position regarding changing the grade: When I called New English Teacher into my office and asked her to explain to me what had happened. She politely explained and acknowledged all of the above facts (as described). I asked her if she felt that what she did was right? She paused for a few minutes and said, “yes, I do. I am his current teacher and I should have the right to make grade changes.” I explained to her that not even I, as administrator, change students' grades. Only the teacher who issued the grade, is permitted to change the grade per school policy. I explained to her that what she did was wrong and unethical as she is only a substitute teacher. At this point, she was very bothered by the information I shared with her. I also informed her that she could no longer work for our school and that I would have to pursue the matter further now that I was informed. She said she was not an unethical person and was going to speak with the teachers union because she felt it was wrong of me to prevent her from working at a place she enjoyed. John Ds friend’s mother John D’s friend's mother was now making it public that his grade had been changed and how unfair it was to other students. Her position was that I was not acting fast enough because she didn’t see anything happening. In addition, she was demanding that all students in the class be CASE STUDY allowed to submit any missed work over the summer months for a grade change. Many others agreed with her. Alternatives I could have chosen: Since at the time I believed this was a really egregious offense committed by New English Teacher, I considered calling the Department of Education and having her teaching license revoked. To me, this was a very serious matter in which many individuals have lost their teaching certifications for some extended period of time (and in some instances permanently). I eventually chose not to do this. On the other hand, I could have not reported it to the School Board at all and simply removed New Teacher from our long-term substitute list. This would not have felt right to me. The matter was too severe to simply “let it go”. School Board Discussion I presented the matter to the local school board in closed session due to the sensitivity of the issue. No one knew but me and my executive director that I was actually pushing to have John D’s diploma rescinded. Nothing about him walking across the stage and receiving a diploma felt right to me morally or ethically. He did not earn it. In my mind, it was simply handed to him as a result of an empathetic moment between a teacher, student, and his parents. After I presented the facts to the school board, they had many questions. Rescinding a student's diploma was not something we did often and would be devastating no matter who was right or wrong. In the business of education, sometimes tough decisions need to be made and sometimes there is an opportunity to show a student some grace. We met, looked over all the facts, submitted work, other students' assignments, emails from parents, students, community members etc., took a break for a week, and agreed to return for a special private session to vote on the matter. The Verdict This, unfortunately, for John D was not one of those instances where he would receive grace. It was decided that the changing of John D’s grade was unethical. The board agreed with me that New English Teacher’s role was only that of a substitute although she was a credentialed English teacher. However, they agreed with New English Teacher that the policy was not very clear in terms of stating what type of teacher specifically can change the grade. Ultimately it was decided that the policy manual is intended for contracted, full-time certificated teachers and neither long nor short-term substitutes fall under that umbrella. John Ds diploma was rescinded and he had to retake the English class in summer. He earned a passing grade and was able to successfully graduate thereafter. Aftermath Though I was successful in this matter, there were a few teachers who were upset with me and my Executive Director because we were revoking a student's diploma. They felt it was unethical CASE STUDY and said that if it went unnoticed prior to graduation, we should have left it alone. Some parents felt that we should have a better system to train our substitutes and that I was wrong to remove New English Teacher from being employed with us again. What was ethically or morally right to me was not ethically or morally right to everyone. All in all, I believe I made the right decision. Nothing and no one is perfect. I took no pleasure in having to tell John D and his family, to their faces, that I was rescinding his diploma - that was extremely hard. I have since been promoted to a higher position, but I certainly reflected on this situation and made some changes based on all of the feedback. A. To perform or not to perform B. Facts Regarding the case: Fact 1: I was hired as an account representative to take customer calls. Fact 2: I was really good at the job as I had years of previous experience. Fact 3: I had gotten promoted to management at my previous company. Fact 4: I wanted to do my best on the new job so that I could get promoted at this company. Fact 5: I felt more comfortable in a leadership role. Fact 6: This position was a part of the union in which I signed up to be a member as did everyone. Fact 7: I was able to take over 100 calls per day with no problem. Fact 8: The other union members were taking about 50 calls per day. Fact 9: Management really liked my work ethic and my production numbers. Fact 10: Most of the union members in my same position were focused on retiring. Fact 11: I was asked by my union coworkers to slow down my production so that management wouldn’t raise the standards. Fact 12: I really wanted to show that I could do more than what was expected so that I was looked at for a promotion in the future. Fact 13: I didn’t want management to increase the standards for anyone. Fact 14: I didn’t want to make other coworkers look like slackers. Fact 15: I slowed down my production because I didn’t want my coworkers to get mad at me. Fact 16: My manager asked why my production numbers fell. C. Statement of the Ethical Problem The union workers influenced me to lower my production numbers to keep their standards from going up. D. Possible alternatives 1. One alternative would be to ignore my coworkers and keep producing my numbers and run the risk of being unpopular with the team and increasing their production expectation. 2. Another alternative is to lower my production to be a team player but run the risk of not getting considered for a promotion. E. Recommended Alternative My recommended alternative would be to lower my production numbers and be a team player. Although I knew that I could produce higher numbers, I was a part of the union. I had to remind myself that this same union would be the ones to represent me if I was ever involved in any future dispute with management or the company. I could not risk tainting that relationship as I had seen how it affected others. I have always had good work ethic so when I was approached by the union to slow down my production, I was taken aback. I had never been a part of a union, so I really didn’t know how to respond. As I was told that I was a part of the union and needed to be a team player, I was a little unsure how to handle the situation. I ultimately decided to lower my production. I didn’t want standards to increase for the team as I knew many weren’t able to produce the same as I could. This would make it unfair to others. However, I didn’t want my management team to think that I was slacking but I couldn’t tell them that the union asked me to slow down. That would cause a whole set of new issues and I did not want to be the new person who was causing all these issues. I would have been blackballed by the union and I didn’t want that to happen. At the end of the day, I believe management knew what was going on without me telling them. I was assigned to do special projects because they knew I was getting bored with the job. I eventually got promoted into management, but with a different organization which was for the best. I don’t think I could have managed the same union people that I had just worked with knowing they many were underproducing. My management job was not union, and I was able to perform the way I wanted to, and I quickly received a second promotion. So, end the, it all worked out and I went on to have a successful career. A. Title: Writing a disciplinary action report on an employee for something petty because it was the ethical thing to do Involved in the case: · Employee one – used a heater · Employee two – used a heater · Employee three – used a heater · Employee four – did not use a heater · VP Secretary · Supervisor (Me) B. Facts regarding the case: 1. All four employees are grown adults over the age of 40 2. VP Secretary sent out a directorate wide email reminding all associates of the company policy on electric heaters at your desk. Company policy states that there should be no electric heaters at your desk 3. Employees one, two and three always used an electric heater at their desk 4. Employee four did not use an electric heater at their desk 5. Employees one and four sat in personal cubicles that faced each other 6. Employees two and three did not sit anywhere near employee four 7. Employee two is known for causing issues in any work group they’re a part of. Was sent home early from a deployment due to behavior. 8. Employee four sent an email back to our VP secretary stating the three other employees on the team that had heaters at their desk. As she sent the email, she accidently CC’d employee one on the email. 9. The email was then forwarded by employee one to employees two and three to let them know employee four was “tattling” on them 10. Employee two immediately got up from her desk and went to confront employee four in a hostile approach 11. Employee one and three followed and used hostile words but did not get in employee four’s face as employee two did 12. I sat on the other side of all the employees and started to hear yelling and approached the scene as everyone broke apart 13. I immediately separated all of them and took employee four away to another area to let the others calm down at their desk 14. My immediate supervisor was out on medical leave, and I went to the next supervisor in my chain of command and explained what had happened 15. No one was physically harmed, and confrontation and exchange of words were the extent of the incident 16. I met with each employee one on one to gather information from each perspective on the incident 17. After hearing all stories and meeting with my Executive manager, we chose to write a disciplinary form on employee two for approaching employee four with intent to harm (fight). 18. Employees two and four did not agree with the discipline taken and each one filed an EEO complaints on each other 19. EEO process was followed and each employee that was directly involved was interviewed by the mediator and each additional employee that was considered a witness to the incident 20. At the end of the EEO process, it was concluded that the form of action I took was correct and there was no further action needed. Statement of the Ethical Problem: An employee sent an email to the VP secretary letting her know who had heaters in her work area and that they were bothering her while accidently copying one of the employees she was telling on causing a hostile situation. Possible alternative responses and/or solutions to the ethical problem that were available to you 1. Meet with each employee and attempt to mediate amongst myself and my Executive manager with no formal documentation having to be done 2. Write each employee up that had the heater since it was technically against company policy. a. This would not be a great option as hundreds of employees used heaters everyday and those are not addressed 3. Write up employees one and two for approaching employee four in a hostile manner. Employee one was more physical and employee three used hostile words. 4. Write employee two up for approaching employee four with intent to fight creating a hostile work environment Recommended alternative and the reasons for choosing it: I went back to all my documentation of this incident that happened in 2018 to gather all my facts and after reading through everything and remembering the incident, I would still choose the alternative number four that I did back then. I would have loved to be able to use alternative one and not take formal action as they were all grown adults but due to their behavior backgrounds and responses to the situation, unfortunately I could not. In the end, I feel option four was the most ethical decision to make and at the end of the day after the EEO formal complaint was finished, it was the correct decision.
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