Mrs. Nelson is a 5th grade teacher at Xander Elementary School. She is very tech-savvy and uses various forms of social media to communicate with parents and students. At the beginning of the year, she asks parents to follow her on a communication app, Remind, so that they can receive important text reminders about upcoming events. Remind is typically used for group communication. For example, Mrs. Nelson might send out a reminder to the class about a field trip and the need to bring their lunch. After receiving a group text, parents then have the option to respond individually to Mrs. Nelson and can carry on a conversation in a private environment if they need to discuss more student-specific information.

Many of her students have their own cell phones and have also begun following Mrs. Nelson on the Remind app. While Mrs. Nelson does not encourage this, she doesn’t remove them when they do. It has never been an issue in the past, and she assumes it might help them know about upcoming important events as well. Mrs. Nelson is a very loved and respected teacher, known for providing a very safe and nurturing environment in her classroom. Whenever a student is struggling with an issue, they know that Mrs. Nelson will listen and support them. Because of the precarious nature of 5th grade, students often come to Mrs. Nelson with all kinds of problems.

After sending out a Remind text about the upcoming early dismissal day, a student, Maddie, responded with a private message to Mrs. Nelson, telling her that she needed to talk to her about a problem. Mrs. Nelson tells her to come to her first thing in the morning so they can talk before class begins. The next morning, Maddie shows up early to class as instructed and tells Mrs. Nelson that she thinks something is wrong with her because she doesn’t like boys the way her friends do, but she really doesn’t want to be gay. She is afraid of what her parents and friends would say if she never likes boys the way she thinks she is supposed to. Though taken aback by this confession, Mrs. Nelson assures her that she will be okay, and that it is okay that she doesn’t have the answers to those questions right now.

Thinking about it later that evening, Mrs. Nelson was concerned that she hadn’t been supportive enough in talking with Maddie, so she sends her a private Remind text saying, “I want you to know that you are a very smart and beautiful young lady, and that won’t change if you like boys or girls. I won’t say anything to anyone about our conversation.”

1. Identify the behaviors (if any) that you believe violate standards in the Model Code of Ethics for Educators.

2. Which standards do you think were violated? Explain your reasoning. If you feel that no standards were violated, explain your reasoning.

3. Should Mrs. Nelson have handled this situation differently so as not to violate the Code of Ethics, or (if you feel that there was no violation) to avoid her actions being called into question?

3. To avoid ethical violations, Mrs. Nelson should have encouraged the student to speak with a counselor, informed the parents, and avoided private messages.

1. Mrs. Nelson's actions could be seen as violating certain professional boundaries and ethical standards. Specifically, the private messaging to discuss personal issues with a student could raise concerns.

2. The standards that may have been violated include:

Principle I - Commitment to the Student: Teachers should protect the student's information and not engage in situations that could be seen as breaching confidentiality or professional boundaries. Sending a private message to a student outside of school hours could be seen as inappropriate and crossing professional boundaries.
Principle III - Ethical Conduct Toward Professional Colleagues: Engaging in private communications with students about personal issues without involving parents or guardians or school counselors might not align with school protocols.

3. To handle the situation differently and avoid potential ethical violations, Mrs. Nelson could have:

Encouraged Maddie to speak with a school counselor: Professionals trained to handle such sensitive issues could provide appropriate support.
Involved Maddie's parents: By informing them in a sensitive and professional manner, Mrs. Nelson could ensure that appropriate support systems at home are in place.
Avoided private messages: Keeping all communications about personal issues within the school setting and during school hours ensures that professional boundaries are maintained.