ETHICS OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

The Ethics of School Administration

The Ethics of School Administration

This paper is based on a case study that involves my friend James. James was expelled from the school for the offence of academic dishonesty. He was caught on the spot by the invigilator, while he was cheating and copying his work from Jack's copy, who was sitting in front of James. With regard to the behaviour of students, (such as James in this case) cheating and academic dishonesty is a serious offense, and advances in data storage and retrieval of information; cheating and academic dishonesty seems to make life easier for student surface. Universities allocate resources to combat it, but it is probably well entrenched.

Student cheating on college and university campuses includes taking credit for work completed by others, sharing answers on course assignments, failing to complete work on team projects, completing examinations for others, and plagiarising term papers. Often referred to as academic dishonesty, student cheating is common on college campuses. Unfortunately, instances of cheating appear to be on the rise (Strike, Haller, Soltis, 2003). Further, the advent of new technologies coupled with the electronic delivery of courses and programs (Internet-based programs) exacerbate the problem of academic dishonesty, particularly with regard to written assignments.

Students, faculty, and administrators indicate the need for action once students are found to have cheated. More specifically, students are troubled when cheating by peers is not addressed. At the same time, faculty members express concern about the lack of administrative support when they are addressing instances of cheating. In turn, administrators describe an increase in faculty indifference to cheating by students. In essence, all parties on campuses are aware of the need to address cheating, but there is disagreement regarding the assignment of responsibility and how to react (Strike, Haller, Soltis, 2003).

Responses to cheating often result in disciplinary actions or academic sanctions. When instituting disciplinary sanctions, officials at institutions of higher education subject themselves to legal review. However, the courts have given considerable deference to postsecondary institutions that impose academic sanctions on students for academic dishonesty.

I feel sorry for poor James, who had risked his academic career with the cheating offence. I think that James was liable to be suspended from the examination as he was guilty of the breach of the sacred academic oath. “Do no harm,” the crux of the Hippocratic Oath, has been a model for medical and ...