ETHICAL DILEMMAS – SCENARIO1
“To suspend/exclude or not!”
Firm but Fair SHS (FFSHS) is a large well-established secondary school in the leafy suburbs of
Brisbane. It has a long tradition of strong discipline – for many parents, this is the prime reason for
sending their children to the school. Peter Newboy is one of three deputies in the school – Peter
arrived a year ago as his first appointment as a deputy. The principal (Kevin Seenitallbefore) and the
other two female deputies have been at the school for over ten years. These other three get on well
together, seem to have very similar views about things and often socialise together. The school
behaviour management policy has been in place for many years, and works very much on a two
strikes and you’re out model – although where drugs are concerned no second chances are given.
From semester one this year, Peter has inherited the role as school-wide coordinator of the behaviour
management policy as the deputy who usually looks after such matters is on maternity leave for this
semester. Peter has been uncomfortable about the black and white nature of the policy for some time
as his last school had a large number of students who presented with quite challenging behaviours
and the school managed many of them with a more inclusive discipline approach than the one at
FFSHS.
Yesterday, one of the teachers reported that Tony, one of the mature aged students had been caught
with a very small amount of marijuana in his possession. (The administration team has never been
happy with enrolling older students but it has been a useful strategy to keep numbers up.) Peter
understands that the school discipline policy requires an immediate suspension of Tony, with the
expectation that he will be excluded as quickly as possible under the drug zero tolerance regime of
the school. Peter does some checking with Tony’s form teacher and learns that Tony, who is 19, has
been under considerable pressure in recent months. His father left home recently, leaving him as the
“head of the house” as his mother is unemployed and has been quite ill of late. Tony has two much
younger siblings at the local primary school and he has been taking greater responsibility for them of
late. He also works two part-time jobs as he is trying to support the family as well as saving up
enough money to attend TAFE next year as he desperately wants to be a chef. Having wasted his
first chance at school, he knows he must be successful this time around or his life will be a mess.
Peter starts to prepare the paperwork for Tony’ suspension for the principal’s signature, knowing
Kevin’s response will be to get Tony out of Firm but Fair SHS as quickly as possible. Peter has a
restless weekend over the whole matter and delays sending the paperwork through to Kevin. He
realises that this may be the end of Tony’s education and that there will be pressure placed on his
whole family as he is likely to lose his jobs if word gets around that he has been excluded from the
school for drugs. As Peter is reflecting on this as he does is morning walk around the school, he
receives a mobile phone call from Kevin demanding that he get the paperwork to him immediately
and asking why there has been a delay. Kevin tells Peter that one of the parents has already contacted
him to ask if the school had gone soft on drugs as she had heard a rumour that one of the mature aged
students had been selling drugs to year 8s. Peter realises Kevin is angry about this, but Peter feels
very uneasy about a simple knee-jerk reaction in what he sees as a complex case. On the way back to
his office, he stops off at Mary Toetheline’s office (one of the other deputies) to see what she thinks.
…………………
This scenario is drawn from work undertaken by Cranston, N, Ehrich, L & Kimber, M. – should not be copied or
distributed without permission - email Nei.Cranston@utas.edu.au)
1
Steps in thinking about the scenario … and the ethical dilemmas
Assuming you see there is an ethical dilemma here,
→
Try to put your self right in the middle of the scenario – think about what the school
might be like, its culture, its parent body, the views about the school of the wider
community etc etc.
INDIVIDUALLY (and quickly! – 10 minutes)
1. Read over the scenario and make a few notes about the case.
2. What are the key issues that need to be considered in trying to understand the dilemma(s):
a. Think about - the key forces at play; the actual ED; what might be Peter’s values,
beliefs … what might be Tony’s? are there differences? the choices & decisions
available to Peter, to Kevin?
b. what are the implications of the various choices/decisions – individual, school,
community
3. How do you think the scenario plays out?
4. What would YOU have done if you were in Peter’s shoes? In Kevin’s shoes?
IN PAIRS (10 minutes)
5. Share your ideas.
a. Where are the differences/similarities in these, why?
b. Who are the “winners” and “losers” as a result of your decision?
c. Is there a “right” answer?