What I learned when we talked about ethics this semester
“I want to win the election. It’s important to win. We’re told that constantly. But is how you go about winning important, too? No one ever seems to talk to us about that.” Stella Walker ANYTHING BUT OKAY (Scholastic Press, 2018)
When I wrote my YA novel ANYTHING BUT OKAY, I’d already been thinking about the importance of creating more opportunities to discuss ethics with young people. Thirteen years as a political columnist in Connecticut (aka “Corrupticut”) will do that to you.
I worked on the novel in 2017, when we were in the first year of the Trump Administration. The administration’s complete disdain for ethical norms highlighted the ever more urgent need to build ethics discussion into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way, at all levels of education.
The news that over 70 West Point Cadets were accused of cheating on a calculus final is just another example. Cadets attend the academy tuition free with a $10,000 stipend, but must abide by a strict honor code: “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
Dear cadets: I struggled with calculus, but I managed to pass it without cheating.
Meanwhile, the outgoing president of the United States is using his pardon power to send the message that corrupt, unlawful behavior and war crimes are fine, as long as you have shown loyalty to him or happen to the father of his son-in-law.
This semester in my managerial writing classes, I made a point of spending more time discussing ethics than I have in the past, trying to counter the damaging behavior modeled at the highest levels of our government.
We discussed several case studies, and students worked together in groups online to talk about how they would respond if they were the decision makers.
What I found was that students like to discuss these issues. We don’t talk about them enough.
Here are a few excerpts from end-of-semester reflective essays:
Yes, it’s important that students can write clear, concise memos, effective emails, and persuasive proposals. But it’s just as important that we talk about ethical communication and decision-making. As one of my students said “something may not be illegal, but does not mean it is ethical.” Case in point: the latest Trump pardons.
Another student wrote “This was probably my favorite part of class.” Students like discussing these issues.
Just as importantly, students need to learn how to think about and discuss ethical issues, otherwise we will won’t be able to continue the work toward the Founders’ goal of: “a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
