Assignment:
Use the case study "The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions." Analyze and attempt to resolve the dilemma in the case study using these lenses and steps:
- The Equity Lens
- The Rights Lens
- The Utility Lens
- The Empathy Lens
- The Priority Principle
- The Squirm Test
- Final Decision
- Applying the Ethical Reasoning Model
To begin, read the following case study. Then, assuming the role of Dr. Wang, identify three alternatives in your essay. Address one via the Ethical Reasoning Model.
Case Study: The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions
At Gungho Elementary School's first faculty meeting of the new school year, Dr. Alice Wang announced a new teacher observation process. She and her two assistant principals had attended the local university's workshop dedicated to the Walk Through process for teacher observations and decided to utilize it during the following school year.
This method required that each teacher's class be visited once per week for 10 minutes. In order to prepare the administrators for their walk-throughs, the faculty members for the first time were directed to submit each Friday their lesson plans for the next week via the school's Web site.
Now, on Friday afternoon, 12 weeks into the school year, Dr, Wang was in her office face to face with Mr. Avery Hawkins, a veteran art teacher. Mr. Hawkins quietly but firmly said, We were told that the lesson plans were needed to ready you and your assistants to conduct the weekly walk-through observations. Not one of you has stepped foot into my class. Several other teachers also report that none of you have visited their classes either. I've posted my last lesson plan.
Dr. Wang swallowed deeply and said, Mr. Hawkins, I know that we have not followed through with our plans, but we've simply been side-tracked by the implementation of the No-Child-Left-Behind initiatives in the school's strategic improvement plan. We have every intention of conducting the Walk-Through Program. Please reconsider and post your lesson plans. I promise that I will be in your class Monday. In addition, I'll call a faculty meeting and discuss this with the faculty; I'll even apologize for the situation that we're in.
Maybe next time when you and the other administrators want to implement a program, you might discuss it with the rest of us before making a unilateral decision. Maybe next time you'll live up to your own directive. As for me, I've turned in my last lesson plan, replied Mr. Hawkins as he turned to leave the office.