Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at IIT

The National Association of Biology Teachers supports the concept of the individual professional acting as an independent moral agent. To assist members in the identification and clarification of values, NABT strives to identify the basic ethical principles which represent the shared aspirations of the profession. These principles define the ethical "goods' of the profession and illuminate the reasons why such "goods" are important to professional work NABT believes that ethical principles are guidelines, not rules nor laws. Ethical guidelines cannot be imposed or broken, nor can they be enforced other than through a sense of mutual moral responsibility. Finally, NABT recognizes that ethical principles occasionally conflict, requiring the individual to develop and defend a hierarchy of values to guide behavior.

The National Association of Biology Teachers recognizes that membership in this professional organization of teachers carries with it special responsibilities to students, parents, fellow teachers, school administrators and school boards.

The following principles are deemed fundamental to the biology teachers responsible, ethical pursuit of the profession.

1. MEMBER DIRECTED

1. The member's conduct and comportment as a professionaL

1. Members shall be truthful and not make unwarranted or uninformed statements.

2. Members shall strive to maintain an appropriate level of professional competence.

3. A member's professional responsibility shall often take precedence over personal interest.

4. Members should recognize that each individual is different from all other individuals and should be tolerant of and responsive to those differences.

5. Members shall avoid professional contact with a member known to engage in unethical practice.

6. Members should expose to authorities other members who engage in unethical, illegal or unfair practice.

7. Honesty, integrity, fairness, impartiality, candor, fidelity to bust and inviolability of confidence are incumbent upon every member.

8. Each member shall be guided by the highest standards of ethics, personal honor and profes, sional conduct.

2. The rights and privileges of members.

1. Members should have freedom without restriction to participate in political affairs.

2. Members are entitled to fair and equitable compensation for work performed.

3. The principles of academic freedom must be safeguarded and are not negotiable.

4. Professionals are entitled to be informed of their working conditions and employment practices at the time an employment offer is made.

5. As a member of the community, the professional has the rights and obligations of any citizen.

6. Members should be given the opportunity to publish work in scientific journals and to present findings at scientific meetings.

7. Professionals should be free to participate in professional and scientific society affairs.

8. No member should be terminated from employment for inadequate performance without documented evidence and review.

9. Members should be accorded due process if employment is terminated, regardless of tenure status.

10. A member may provide expert testimony when it is essential to a just and fair hearing

11. Members may properly participate in educational programs for the public involving the media.

12. Members are entitled to know if letters of recommendation written by them will be held confidential. The member has the option of refusing to write a letter.

2. STUDENT DIRECTED

1. In providing services, members shall avoid action that will injure or violate the rights of students.

2. Members should not discriminate against students on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, physical disability or national ancestry.

3. Members shall protect students from the misuse of information collected about thern.

4. Members shall respect the privacy of their students.

5. Members shall provide clear and precise statements of performance expectations in catalogs, course syllabi and graduation requirements.

6. As teachers, members should sensitize students to the rights of research subjects.

7. Members should present information fully, accurately and objectively.

8. Members should provide timely and accurate evaluations of a studenrs performance

9. Members shall encourage students to attain their highest performance and ambitions through appropriate counseling about career and educational opportunities.

10. Exploitation of students is unacceptable under any circumstance.

11. Members should encourage and assist students in the free pursuit of learning.

3. PROFESSION DIRECTED

1. Member's responsibility to colleagues.

1. Members shall not falsely or maliciously attempt to injure the reputation of another and shall not compete unfairly with fellow professionals.

2. Members shall cooperate with and have respect for other members and shall assist with their professional development.

3. Members shall not discriminate against other professionals on grounds unrelated to professional competence.

4. Members shall exercise due care in criticizing another professionars work in public, recognize that the Association provides a proper forum for technical discussion and criticism.

5. Members shall uphold professional standards of ethics and should counsel other members to do SO.

6. Members shall disseminate knowledge and share experience with other colleagues and be honest,realistic and clear in presenting findings.

2. . Member's responsibility to the profession.

1. Members shall disseminate information about the profession and its work.

2. Members shall advance the dignity and prestige of the profession and participate in the association's activities.

3. Members shall accept responsibility for working toward the creation and maintenance of a favorable climate for professional activity consistent with the ethics of the profession.

4. Members shall uphold fair and adequate compensation and standards of employment for professional work

4. SOCIETY DIRECTED

1. Members with appropriate expertise should speak out on issues in science and science education even if the Issues are controversial and/or unpopular.

2. Members should safeguard the public againstmembers who are professionally incompetent. They should expose illegal or unethical conduct.

3. Members should respect duly constituted just laws and cooperate with legal authorities as their conscience dictates.

4. Members should strive to protect the safety, health and welfare of the public.

5. Members should use their knowledge and skill for the advancement of human welfare and contribute to public education and charitable and other non-profit organizations of their choosing and as their conscience dictates.

6. Members should volunteer their services to their community as their conscience dictates.

5. GENERAL

1. The Association and its members have a continuing responsibility to question, amend and revise these standards.

2. Every profession receives from society the right to regulate Itself and to determine and judge its own members.