Priya, the Vice-Principal of a government model school providing free quality education, faces a moral dilemma. The school operates under a scheme that requires students to maintain good performance in annual examinations to continue their education. In her class, a bright student, Asha, has been struggling with attendance and studies following her father’s sudden demise, as she now helps her mother run a vegetable stall and cares for her younger siblings.
As the year-end exams approached, Asha, anxious about failing and losing her place at the school, sought Priya’s help. While empathizing with Asha’s situation, Priya offered study materials but clarified that she could not influence the exam process. However, during the exams, Priya discovered that the Principal had provided Asha with the question paper and answers in advance, ensuring she passed on the condition that she would improve her attendance.
Since then, Asha has kept her promise, attending school regularly and actively participating in class. Although Priya is pleased with Asha’s progress, she feels conflicted about the fairness of the decision, as it could demotivate other students and compromise the integrity of the examination system.
(a)What are the ethical issues involved in the given case? (200 words)
(b) Evaluate the behaviour of the Principal from an ethical standpoint. (200 words)
(c) What are the merits and demerits of the options available to Priya? Which option should she choose and why? (200 words)
Roadmap for Answer Writing
To effectively answer the question, Priya‘s ethical concerns and practical considerations should be balanced. The roadmap should include the following steps:
1. Introduction: Contextualize Priya’s Ethical Dilemma
- Briefly state the situation: Priya’s dual concerns about fairness in decision-making and ensuring Asha’s educational progress.
- Mention the competing values: integrity, fairness, compassion, and duty towards Asha’s education.
2. Identify the Ethical Concerns and Priorities
- Fairness in Process: Highlight the importance of fair treatment for all students to maintain institutional integrity.
- Compassion for Asha: Recognize Asha’s potential and her right to education as part of a moral and social duty.
3. Propose Steps to Address Ethical Concerns
Structure the steps under short-term actions and long-term solutions:
- Short-Term Actions:
- Evaluate and verify the facts regarding Asha’s situation (e.g., socio-economic challenges).
- Seek an impartial review of Asha’s case to eliminate any perception of bias.
- Collaborate with school authorities and community organizations for temporary support to ensure Asha’s educational continuity.
- Long-Term Solutions:
- Advocate for a transparent and fair support system for all deserving students.
- Establish clear guidelines for extending help to ensure fairness.
- Implement mentorship or sponsorship programs for students like Asha.
4. Justify the Actions with Ethical Principles
- Reference principles such as utilitarianism (greatest good for the greatest number), Kantian ethics (duty and fairness), and care ethics (compassion for Asha).
5. Conclude with a Balanced Perspective
- Emphasize that by ensuring fairness and transparency, Priya can uphold ethical standards while continuing to support Asha’s development in a sustainable and equitable manner.
Relevant Facts for the Answer
- Right to Education in India:
- The Right to Education Act, 2009 (RTE) mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years, highlighting the moral responsibility to ensure education for underprivileged children..
- Principles of Fairness in Public Administration:
- Fairness and integrity are core principles in decision-making processes to prevent favoritism and ensure equitable treatment.
- Impact of Socio-Economic Disadvantage on Education:
- Research shows that students from marginalized backgrounds face significant barriers in accessing quality education, leading to a moral imperative for additional support..
- Importance of Transparent Processes:
- Transparent decision-making reduces public skepticism and promotes trust in institutions, especially in cases involving potential conflicts of interest..
Incorporating these points ensures that the answer is well-structured, evidence-based, and aligned with ethical frameworks.
(a) The Ethical Issues Involved in the Case
It merits discussion of certain ethical issues, including the tension between showing compassion and maintaining institutional integrity. First of all, the Principal’s giving of exam questions and answers to Asha is a clear violation of the rules of the examination of the school. It is an act that sabotages the fairness and integrity of the assessment process as it places Asha at an unfair advantage over her peers. Secondarily, the Principal’s decision to place Asha’s personal circumstances above the school’s policies raises questions about the consistency, transparency and impartiality of the school’s administration. Although empathy and compassion should be provided to students who are going through tough times, such leniency runs the risk of being abused in the future. Thirdly, a huge concern is the potential demotivation of students working extremely hard to keep their grades up. When students see that rules can be circumvented, it can erode their faith in the school’s system, and their own work. Finally, there is pressure from Asha to improve her attendance, although a hopeful target; it could be understood as coercive and potentially further stress and burden on her wellbeing.
(b) Ethical Analysis of the Principal’s Conduct
From an ethical perspective, the Principal behaves with serious moral and professional deficiencies. This act of providing Asha with advance knowledge of the examination questions and answers undermines the fundamental principles of ethics. By letting Asha sit the exam at all, this clearly allows her to gain undue advantage over her peers, as well as a serious compromise to the integrity of the school’s examination system. Furthermore, the Principal’s decision to enter into a conditional arrangement with Asha—she would pass if he would give her the relaxed attendance—opens up a moral discussion on whether it is acceptable to use students’ academic performance as currency. But it is the method chosen that is very questionable rather than the intention of helping Asha, which is understandable. The Principal itself should have tried to help Asha in other genuine ways, like tutoring or counseling, or even allowing her to arrive late to class, but should not have played around with her exam system. This is also against the law if seen with academic fraud. Ethically, the Principal’s actions are disgusting and mind-numbing, as it puts the immediate need to quiet, and shut down a perceived threat versus thinking this through to its potentially very damaging outcomes to the educational environment of the school, and the well-being of other students.
(c) Pros and Cons of the Options Open to Priya
Priya has a tough ethics dilemma ahead of her, and there are a bunch of ways she could go. All of these have their pros and cons.
Report the Principal’s Actions:
Merits: Reporting the principal would help maintain the integrity of the school’s examination system and ensure that all students are treated fairly. Such messaging sends a clear signal that these attitudes are not okay and there may well be better systems of support for students in need that follow in the wake of such discussions.
Demerits: This may create an adversarial atmosphere and undermine the working relationship between Priya and the Principal. And, it may further lead to disciplinary measures, even suspension of the Principal, which would create a hostile environment in the school. Also, Asha could feel let down by this and undo all the progress she made with attendance and in her studies.
Confront the Principal:
Pros: Educating the Principal in a civil way might challenge the school’s policies and engender change. This would give Priya space to air her concerns and to explore a more ethical way to help students such as Asha.
CONS: This method may also be combative, and may not spur immediate action. As a result, the Principal may become defensive, and (thus) it may be hard to find a solution that both parties agree on.
Support Asha Privately:
This content is not restricted to a specific date, as it will be created in October 2023 and refer back to given input data. This would also help avert a combative one.
Demerits: This does not solve the underlying issue of exam malpractices and also sets a precedent to validate the actions of the Principal. Some other students may realize what happened, and the experience can leave them feeling demotivated or treated unjustly.
Ignore the Situation:
Benefits: They may get to keep the status quo (and avoid a fight for now). In the short term, this could be seen the least bad option.
Demerits: Neglecting the problem would undermine the school’s ethical level and could result in others being treated unequally. It would also challenge Priya’s duties as a Vice-Principal and her responsibility to uphold the integrity of the institution.
Plausible Alternative: Face the Principal
However, Priya should bring to the light his misconduct with the Principal in a healthy and professional way. This also addresses the ethics and gives her the opportunity to find a win-win solution. Through this dialogue, Priya can voice her worries on whether the examination system is fair and even, and suggest Asha, and other students that will come along, different ways to support them — the right way. As an example, the school can allow more flexibility with the attendance policy for students with special situations or offer extra tutoring and counseling services. This method balances a number of variables, proxies and various elements as we build a case for fairness while understanding supporting our most vulnerable students, making sure the school’s policies are both compassionate and fair.”