A Framework for Professional Ethics Courses in Teacher Education

Evidence suggests that professional ethics is currently a neglected topic in teacher education programs. In this article, the authors revisit the question of ethics education for teachers. The authors propose an approach to the professional ethics of teaching that employs a case-analysis framework specifically tailored to address the practice of teaching. The framework is designed to expose the prima facie moral considerations that are relevant as teachers make judgments about ethics. The framework does not produce absolute answers, but it leads to a process that increases procedural objectivity in ethical decision making. It therefore helps respect student moral autonomy while resisting the slide into relativism.