Ethical & Legal Issues

Ethical Issues

The issue of confidentiality is paramount in the field of education. Professional educators have access to a plethora of sensitive information regarding their students, their families and their circumstances. This information is to be shared only for the purposes for which it is intended and only with those who can legally and ethically benefit the student by having such information. If a student teacher has any question regarding the appropriate use of sensitive information, she or he should immediately communicate with the most qualified practitioner available, most generally the mentoring teacher.

Professionals refrain from gossiping about their colleagues, their place of professional practice, and any unusual circumstances. Student teachers should behave as professionals. If student teachers have professional concerns about any of the above, they should address these honestly in a professional manner with their mentor, supervisor or student teaching coordinator.

Students teachers should realize that their primary purpose in student teaching is promote student learning and development. The assessment of students should be viewed as having a primarily developmental purpose.

Student teachers should receive no remuneration of any sort for the services they would typically provide as professionals, e.g. tutoring. Nor should they use the position as student teacher to endorse any specific commercial product or service. However, if the district chooses to employ a student teacher in an extra-curricular activity, e.g. coaching, this is acceptable.

Student teachers can not serve as substitute teachers for the district/school, as they are not yet licensed teachers. This is a legal issue as well as an ethical one. They can, however, carry out their normal duties under the direct guidance of a substitute teacher in the absence of their regular mentoring teacher.

Student teachers are ethically responsible for carrying out their duties in accordance to research-based best practices in education. Notable among these are a student-centered approach, an emphasis on student learning, equity in the treatment of all students, empowering students as critical thinkers and agents of their own growth, and a focus on authentic academic content.

Student teachers are responsible for the physical and emotional safety of their students and are expected to practice the judgment afforded a reasonable and prudent professional.

Many mentors like to give student teachers opportunity to be the only teacher with the students. It is ethical and legal for mentoring teachers to leave the student teachers alone with students for windows of time. The mentor teachers, however, need to remain in close proximity so that they may be easily accessed by the student teacher.

The Simpson College Teacher Preparation Program supports the “Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics” based on Iowa Code Chapter 25 and 26, adopted by the State of Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, and revised in 2004. This code of professional conduct and ethics is entirely consistent with the ethical considerations just listed. Student teachers receive a copy of the “Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics” at a student teacher seminar during the semester that they student teach. This code, also including statements regarding educators' “Rights and Responsibilities,” provides the framework for this seminar and under girds the Simpson College Teacher Preparation Program's expectations for student teacher practices during that experience.

Legal Information

The Iowa general assembly passed an amendment to Chapter 260 in 1966. This amendment authorized student teaching and established the legal status of student teachers. Since January of 1968, under the tort law, local education agencies are liable for certain acts of officers and employees. Under this law, the governing body of a school district will defend and indemnify any of its officers, employees, and agents against any tort of claim. The Simpson College Agreement for Cooperation in a Student Teaching Program stipulates that student teachers engaged under the terms of this agreement shall be entitled to the same protection as is afforded officers and employees of the school district during the time that they are assigned to that educational agency.

The Code of Iowa also includes these provisions. It forbids the use of student teachers as substitute teachers. Building principals are legally responsible for the welfare and the supervision of classrooms in their charge in the absence of the mentoring teacher. An unlicensed person, even one who is in the process of receiving a license after graduation, can not be employed as a teacher or substitute teacher in any public school. Mentoring teachers must hold valid teaching licenses and the appropriate endorsements.


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Ethical & Legal Issues Ethical Issues The issue of confidentiality is paramount in the field of education. Professional educators have access to a plethora of sensitive information regarding their students, their families and their circumstances. This information is to be shared only for the purposes for which it is intended and only with those who can legally and ethically benefit the student by having such information. If a student teacher has any question regarding the appropriate use of sensitive information, she or he should immediately communicate with the most qualified practitioner available, most generally the mentoring teacher. Professionals refrain from gossiping about their colleagues, their place of professional practice, and any unusual circumstances. Student teachers should behave as professionals. If student teachers have professional concerns about any of the above, they should address these honestly in a professional manner with their mentor, supervisor or student teaching coordinator. Students teachers should realize that their primary purpose in student teaching is promote student learning and development. The assessment of students should be viewed as having a primarily developmental purpose. Student teachers should receive no remuneration of any sort for the services they would typically provide as professionals, e.g. tutoring. Nor should they use the position as student teacher to endorse any specific commercial product or service. However, if the district chooses to employ a student teacher in an extra-curricular activity, e.g. coaching, this is acceptable. Student teachers can not serve as substitute teachers for the district/school, as they are not yet licensed teachers. This is a legal issue as well as an ethical one. They can, however, carry out their normal duties under the direct guidance of a substitute teacher in the absence of their regular mentoring teacher. Student teachers are ethically responsible for carrying out their duties in accordance to research-based best practices in education. Notable among these are a student-centered approach, an emphasis on student learning, equity in the treatment of all students, empowering students as critical thinkers and agents of their own growth, and a focus on authentic academic content. Student teachers are responsible for the physical and emotional safety of their students and are expected to practice the judgment afforded a reasonable and prudent professional. Many mentors like to give student teachers opportunity to be the only teacher with the students. It is ethical and legal for mentoring teachers to leave the student teachers alone with students for windows of time. The mentor teachers, however, need to remain in close proximity so that they may be easily accessed by the student teacher. The Simpson College Teacher Preparation Program supports the “Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics” based on Iowa Code Chapter 25 and 26, adopted by the State of Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, and revised in 2004. This code of professional conduct and ethics is entirely consistent with the ethical considerations just listed. Student teachers receive a copy of the “Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics” at a student teacher seminar during the semester that they student teach. This code, also including statements regarding educators' “Rights and Responsibilities,” provides the framework for this seminar and under girds the Simpson College Teacher Preparation Program's expectations for student teacher practices during that experience. Legal Information The Iowa general assembly passed an amendment to Chapter 260 in 1966. This amendment authorized student teaching and established the legal status of student teachers. Since January of 1968, under the tort law, local education agencies are liable for certain acts of officers and employees. Under this law, the governing body of a school district will defend and indemnify any of its officers, employees, and agents against any tort of claim. The Simpson College Agreement for Cooperation in a Student Teaching Program stipulates that student teachers engaged under the terms of this agreement shall be entitled to the same protection as is afforded officers and employees of the school district during the time that they are assigned to that educational agency. The Code of Iowa also includes these provisions. It forbids the use of student teachers as substitute teachers. Building principals are legally responsible for the welfare and the supervision of classrooms in their charge in the absence of the mentoring teacher. An unlicensed person, even one who is in the process of receiving a license after graduation, can not be employed as a teacher or substitute teacher in any public school. Mentoring teachers must hold valid teaching licenses and the appropriate endorsements.
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