Guidelines for Ethics
& Integrity in Education
Relationships among people are
the foundation of society and
are central to community and
school life.
Adapted from a presentation for employees of Catholic
institutions in Minnesota.
1
Principles of Ethics and
Integrity in Education
Educational personnel will

exhibit the highest ethical standards and personal integrity

conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the discipline
and teachings of the community

provide a positive learning environment free from
intimidation or harassment
2

avoid taking unfair advantage of a counseling
relationhship for the benefit of themselves

accept their personal responsibility to protect
minors and adults from all forms of abuse.
Educational personnel will not

physically, sexually or emotionally abuse or neglect
a minor or an adult
3
General definitions

Educational personnel
All administrators
 All counselors, nurses and other support staff
 All instructors and teacher’s aides
 All coaches, assistant coaches, etc.
 All non-certified personnel who may come in
contact with clients of the institution

Cafeteria workers
 Custodians
 Bus drivers

4
Types of misconduct

Immoral Conduct
Conduct contrary to discipline and teachings of the community

Harassment
Conduct or language that creates an intimidating, hostile or
offensive work environment

Exploitation
Taking advantage of a counseling relationship for the benefit of
the counselor

Abuse of Minors
Physical, sexual or emotional abuse of children under 18, or
adults who are uniquely vulnerable to abuse because of physical
or mental disabilities
5

Sexual Misconduct
A general term that includes sexual abuse, sexual
exploitation and sexual harassment

Sexual Abuse
Subjection of a child or vulnerable adult to any sexual
contact or act, which is a violation of the local, county,
and/or state laws
6

Sexual Exploitation
Any kind of sexual interaction between counselor and
client, whether initiated by either counselor or client
and regardless of the consent of the client

Sexual Harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors,
sexually motivated physical contact or other verbal or
physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature


Quid pro quo: occurs when the employee/client is subject to
unwelcome sexual advances and submission to them is made the basis
of firing, hiring, advancement
Environmental: occurs when any type of unwelcome sexual behavior
crates a hostile environment
7

Vulnerable Adult
A person 18 years of age or older who, because of
impairment of mental or physical function or emotional
status, is unable or unlikely to report abuse or neglect
without assistance
8
Prevention of Immoral Conduct
Guidelines for Ethics and Integrity in
Education
“All educational personnel have a
responsibility to uphold the
standards of the community in their
day-to-day work and personal
lives.”
9
Educational personnel shall not engage in the
following conduct
» Formally instructing clients to disregard
community standards
» Actions disruptive to the learning environment
» Possessing pornographic materials
» Flagrantly engaging in adultery, flagrant
promiscuity, or cohabitation
10
» Abusing alcohol, drugs or gambling
» Stealing or any other form of theft
» Sexual harassment, exploitation or abuse
» Physical assault and fighting
11
Educational personnel shall not harm the
reputation of others through
1. Disclosing the faults of others to persons
who have no cause to know them
2. Making false accusations against another
12
Prevention of Harassment
Guidelines for Professionalism
Harassment can include
 Physical or mental abuse
 Racial insults
 Derogatory ethnic slurs
 Unwelcome sexual advances
 Sexual comments or jokes
 Requests for sexual favors used as a condition
for continued employment, or to affect other
personnel decisions, such as promotion or
compensation
 Display of offensive materials
13
Educational personnel will not engage in
physical, psychological, written or verbal
harassment of employees, volunteers or
parishioners and will not tolerate harassment
committed by others.
Educational personnel shall provide a positive
learning and working environment free from
intimidation and harassment.
14
Prevention of Exploitation
Guidelines for Counseling Relationships
1. Educational personnel are to avoid situations and
conduct that are, or may give the appearance of,
exploitation or conflicts of interest
2. Educational personnel shall not step beyond their
competence in counseling
3. Educational personnel must never engage in sexual
intimacies with persons they counsel
15
4. Educational personnel shall not engage in sexual
intimacies with relatives, friends or other individuals
who are close to the client, when there is a risk of
exploitation or harm to the client
5. Educational personnel assume the full burden for
setting and maintaining appropriate boundaries
6. Physical contact shall be respectful
16
7. Sessions shall be conducted in appropriate
settings at appropriate times
8. No sessions shall be conducted in private
living quarters
9. Educational personnel shall maintain a log of
the times and places of sessions
17
CONFIDENTIALITY
1. Information disclosed to educational personnel
during the course of counseling or advising must
be held in the strictest confidence possible
2. Educational personnel shall discuss the
nature of confidentiality and its limitations
with each person in counseling
18
3. Information obtained in counseling shall be
confidential, except for compelling professional reasons
or as required by law
- if there is a clear and imminent danger to the client or
others
- if feasible, the client should be informed before disclosure
4. If educational personnel discover, while counseling a
minor, that there is a serious threat to the welfare of the
minor, the counselor shall disclose only what is
necessary to protect the minor in accordance with the
laws governing such matters.
19
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
 Educational personnel shall avoid situations that might
present a conflict of interest between a counselor and a
person being counseled
 If a conflict of interest exists or arises, educational
personnel shall inform all parties
 Educational personnel must establish clear, appropriate
boundaries with anyone with whom they have a
business, professional or social relationship
20
Prevention of Abuse
Definitions

Minor
Anyone under 18

Vulnerable Adult
A person 18 or older who, because of impairment of
mental or physical function or emotional status, is
unable or unlikely to report abuse or neglect without
assistance
21

Physical Abuse
Non-accidental injury intentionally inflicted on a minor

Sexual Abuse
Any contact of a sexual nature between a minor and adult

Emotional Abuse
Mental or emotional injury to a minor that results in an
observable and material impairment in the minor’s growth,
development or psychological functioning

Neglect
Failure to provide for a minor’s basic needs, or failure to protect
a minor from harm
22
Guidelines for Interaction with Minors
Release minors only to parents, legal guardians,
or others designated by parents/legal guardians
Report uncontrollable or unusual behavior of
minors to parents
No use, possession, or being under influence of
alcohol or illegal drugs while working with
minors
23
When providing transportation for minors
» Written permission
» No unauthorized stops
» Avoid unnecessary physical contact
» Drivers at least 18
24
No harsh, threatening, intimidating, shaming,
derogatory, demeaning or humiliating remarks
No sexually oriented conversations other than
lessons and discussions on human sexuality
which may be part of the curriculum
Never be nude in presence of minors
No sexually oriented materials on school
property or in presence of minors
25
No sleeping in same bed, sleeping bags or small
tents with minors
Minors other than immediate family members
should probably not be overnight guests in
residences of educational personnel
26
Physical Contact with Minors
Physical discipline prohibited: No spanking,
slapping, pinching, hitting, etc.
27
Examples of affection that are not to be used
» Inappropriate or lengthy embraces
» Kissing on the mouth
» Holding minors over two years of age on the lap
» Touching bottoms, chests, genital areas
» Showing affection in isolated areas
» Sleeping in bed with a child
» Touching knees or legs of minors
» Wrestling with minors
» Tickling minors
» Piggyback rides
» Any type of massage
» Any form of unwanted affection
» Compliments that relate to physique or body development
28