Department Statement on Ethical Conduct

The Education Profession, including teachers, administrators, schools psychologists, school counselors, and all professionals who work in schools, abide by principles of ethical conduct just like doctors, clergy, nurses, psychiatrists do with their clients. These principles remind us of our primary obligations and responsibilities, and as such, they form the ethical foundations from which we make decisions every day.

The Valparaiso University Department of Education expects its students to learn about and practice professional, ethical behaviors. We teach professional ethics in academic courses and assess them in field work through the Dispositions Evaluation Forms. Professional ethics for educators place special emphasis on the values and concepts of equity and efficacy, which are two of the VU Department of Education’s dispositions.

The major concepts underpinning the professional education community’s ethical responsibilities as understood by the VU Department of Education are summarized in the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession in Florida:

1. The educator values the worth and dignity of every person, the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence, acquisition of knowledge, and the nurture of democratic citizenship. Essential to the achievement of these standards are the freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal opportunity for all. (Inquiry)
2. The educator’s primary professional concern will always be for the student and for the development of the student’s potential. The educator will therefore strive for professional growth and will seek to exercise the best professional judgment and integrity. (Efficacy)
3. Aware of the importance of maintaining the respect and confidence of one’s colleagues, of students, of parents, and of other members of the community, the educator strives to achieve and sustain the highest degree of ethical conduct.