Case Study

Ethics and the Early Childhood Educator: Using the NAEYC Code, Chapter 5, Case 6, Pages 62 – 65.

 Dont let my son dress up as a girl!
You are to analyze this case study about the father of 4-year-old Victor who insists his son not be permitted to play with clothes or accessories typically associated with girls and women.  This issue involves a conflict between a request made by a family member and what the teacher believes is good practice.
 The Situation:
Four-year old Victor enjoys playing dress-up in the dramatic play area.  Typically, a quiet and reserved child, he becomes a leader when playing dress up, particularly when he is pretending be a firefighter, princess, bumblebee, or mom. One day his father, Leo, who rarely visits the center, comes to pick up his son and sees Victor dressed in a pink princess costume. Leo is visibly annoyed and tells Meredith, Victors teacher, that he does not want her to allow Victor to play in the dress-up area on the future. He then orders Victor to change, and quickly leaves with him.
The center is devoted to fostering relationships with all of its families, and Meredith has recently made great strides in attracting Victors family to potlucks and school workdays.  The staff collectively believe that in addition to building childrens imaginations, dramatic play enhances their social communication skills and is an integral part of the learning process that gives children opportunities to develop abstract thinking, literacy, math, and social studies skills.
(Ethics and the Early Childhood Educator: Using the NAEYC Code, Chapter 5, Case 6 pages 62-65 by Stephanie Feeney and Nancy K. Freeman.)
 What should Meredith, an ethical teacher, do?
The first question you should ask yourself is, Does this issue concern right and wrong, rights and responsibilities, human welfare, or individuals best interests?  
If you answer No to all of these questions, it is not an ethical issue and you will have Meredith address it as she would handle any workplace issue.  
If you answer Yes to any of the areas, she is facing an ethical issue.  
You will need to decide whether the issue is an ethical responsibility or an ethical dilemma. Explain your choice and why?
Write a paragraph explaining your choice.
Once you make that decision, you need to write the number and statement in bold. Then your answer:
Example:

Describe the Conflicting Responsibilities.

Then write your paragraph. Do this for each area when writing your paper.
Continue doing this format for numbers 2 through 5.
2) Brainstorm Possible Resolutions
3) Consider Ethical Finesse
4) Identify two Ideals and two Principles within the NAYEC Code of Ethical Conduct that provides guidance.
5) Decide on a Justifiable Course of Action

** every paragraph must have 1 source and please make sure to follow Dr. JJ writing TIps**