ETHICAL DILEMMAS FOR CLASSROOM DISCUSSIONS

"Values are the part of the organizing center of human experience that enables us to have a frame of orientation and meaning as we arrange our time, make choices about relative goods, determine the pattern of our relationships, and appropriate the pain and the joy of the appreciable world"
William R. Rogers

HOW TO DECIDE  WHAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO 

Some decisions you make aren't terribly important. For example, you might decide to have chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla. But other decisions may involve a choice between right and wrong, and sometimes it's not easy to know what to do. Whenever you aren't sure what's the right thing to do, stop and think! Ask yourself these questions:

What does my conscience—that "little voice" inside my head—say about it?

Could it hurt anyone—including me?

Is it fair?

Would it violate the Golden Rule? (How would I feel if somebody did it to me?)

Have I ever been told that it's wrong?

Deep down how do I feel about it?

How will I feel about myself later if I do it?

What would adults I respect say about it?

Situations: 

— You pass an empty old house. In front of it there's a "No Trespassing" sign. But the front door is open. You really want to go in and see what's there. No one is around. What do you do?

— A group of kids who you think are really cool are picking on another kid. They want you to join them, and they say you're a nerd if you don't. You don't want to be left out, but you think picking on the other kid is unfair. What do you do?

— You're walking home from school, and you're really hungry because you forgot to bring your lunch that day. You pass by a fruit stand, and the fruit looks so good you can almost taste it. "They'll never miss just one apple," you think to yourself. And no one is looking. What do you do?

— Your best friend asks you to help him cheat on a test. He's never done it before and he promises he'll never do it again. What do you do?

For ethical dilemmas visit http://www.goodcharacter.com/dilemma/archive.html

Answer each question as completely as possible:

1) What are the facts?

2) Identify and define the ethical problem:

3) Who are the stakemakers in the decision?

4) What values are at stake in the decision?

5a) What options do you see are available to resolve this dilemma?

5b) Which options are the most compelling? Why?

6a) How would you resolve the dilemma?

6b) What values did you rely on to make your decision?

7) What consequences (if any) do you see your decision has on the others involved?