How do we make Ethical Decisions as a Middle School Student?
Important decisions take time and careful thought. Here's a plan that works. Use it while those messages are still whirling around in your head...before you take action. Consider the impact on all stakeholders! Stakeholders are the people who will be affected by a decision. That is, they hold a stake in the decision. Before you do anything:
Determine who is likely to be helped or harmed. Avoid or reduce harm.
Ethical values outweigh, outrank and override non-ethical one!
Ask yourself if you are willing to pay the price of making an unethical choice.
Are you willing to sacrifice pride, integrity, reputation and honor by making an unethical choice?
Ethical principles (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship) are ground rules for life.
Make tough choices with integrity, courage and foresight! Ask yourself if you really can't survive without something you may be calling a necessity. Think how you want to be thought of.
The long run outranks the short run.
Use these personal warning systems:
Golden Rule: Are you treating others as you want to be treated?
Publicity: How would it look on the front page of the school newspaper?
Mom on your shoulder: What if your mom was watching you? Think of the most ethical people you know. Would you want them to know what you were saying or doing?
When two core ethical values conflict, go with the choice that will produce the most good for the most people. To make tough decisions, eliminate unethical choices, then select the best ethical choice.