Question

Dr. Shue is a faculty member in a doctoral psychology program. She is sitting in the faculty-student lounge and overhears two graduate students making derogatory, heterosexist comments about another student in the program. Support your discussion with relevant General Principles and Ethical Standards.

Does she have a professional obligation to intervene in the students’ “private” discussion?

Are there ethical reasons she should not intervene?

Should she discuss her observations with another faculty?

Answer 1

Dr. Shue does not have a professional obligation to intervene in the students' "private" discussion. However, it is stated that discussion is overheard in the faculty- student lounge area (public, not a personal space) so as a faculty member she has personal responsibility (according to Principle 1: Ethical conduct towards students) to deal justly and considerately with each student and seek to resolve problems including discipline; to make constructive effort to protect students from conditions detrimental to learning, health and safety.

Under this she has responsibility to engage constructivily with students in their conversation, perspective (unhealthy or derogatory for another student) and educate them over how they can better accept the diversity, be respectful to fellow student and other such members of society in endevour to make students better citizens too.

With this she also pledged (according to Principle 4: Ethical conduct towards parents and community) to understand values and traditions of diverse cultures represented in the community and in his/her own classroom- in this light she has responsibilty to make students understand too in good knowledge, acceptance and empathy different values of different people.

She should not discuss her observations with another faculty as it was just one conversation she happened to overhear. It was not a complaint or any talk made accessible to other faculty by consent. She has personal responsibility (according to Principle 1: Ethical conduct towards students) to not intentionally expose the student to disparagement.