Integrating Professional Ethics into Inclusive Education: Insights from Alabama’s Legal Framework

Unless you’ve had your head under a rock for the last two decades, you’re aware that standards of professional conduct and ethics are an issue for all professions, not just lawyers. One of the better known ethics provisions for lawyers is the rules governing professional conduct in Alabama. These rules are significant because they provide a framework for excellence, accountability, and fairness, which can be applied to just about any profession, including education. Why speak about the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct at all? Because they relate to ethics and because they speak directly to many of the issues confronting educators and schools. Professional conduct is essential in the educational field as teachers are tasked with the considerable responsibility of educating children. This responsibility extends beyond the traditional subjects of reading and writing to more significant elements such as inclusivity and equality, especially when children with special needs are involved.

For the purposes of this article, we are going to treat teachers in the same manner we treat attorneys and refer to them as “professionals.” The Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct are quite extensive; however, there are several underlying principles that are beneficial to consider. The main theme that shines through is the requirement to deal with others fairly, including children. Our society holds professionals to extraordinarily high standards, and educators and schools are no exception. When it comes to the education of a child with special needs, these standards take on added significance.

There are some general issues that professionals should be mindful of when interacting with students and parents. In the legal arena, there is the idea of professional responsibility. When you are tasked with the care or concern of someone else, careful consideration should be exercised to make sure you are following the legal guidelines of your profession as well as any ethical requirements. In basic terms, what does this mean? It means that educators should treat all of their students with respect, dignity, and fairness, as well as the parents of the students being taught. Engaging in discrimination, malice, or unfair treatment of any kind can have a devastating effect on children. Of course, not every case is clear cut. When it comes to children with special needs, professionals should be keenly aware of all the laws, rules, and regulations that apply to the students. If a parent seems to be making unreasonable requests, a professional should attempt to gain clarification instead of jumping to conclusions.

There is a great deal of overlap between the field of law and education, including the issues related to children with special needs. In both fields, there are specific rules and regulations that govern important areas such as special education laws. You will find a few of the key principles contained in the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct below: When it comes to dealing with children and parents, a professional’s conduct is of the utmost importance. All professionals should strive to be aware of the rules and regulations governing their field as well as the law. When sharing information, he or she should be especially careful that none of it infringes on any privacy rights. Inclusivity and accessibility are fundamental to the education of children with special needs. In fact, they are central to what makes up many of the key principles contained in The Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct.

To treat a child fairly and to promote inclusivity means that they have access to everything they need to succeed, including an education. Remember, parents have many different reasons for wanting to communicate with you, but when it comes to their special needs children, what they want is what is right for their child. “When it comes to maintaining professional ethics, you’ll find a lot of similarities between attorneys and educators” – said Jennifer Romano, Attorney. “Both fields entail having a high level of responsibility to ensure that individuals are held accountable to the law, which in turn helps to ensure that the consequences are fair.”

It’s also important for professionals to keep in mind that like attorneys, educators and school staff members have a moral, ethical, and legal responsibility to ensure that children receive an appropriate education. Continuous learning is an important aspect of professional responsibility, including personal development, and educators should be committed to keeping up-to-date with the latest breakthroughs in education. As new laws are passed and new regulations are issued that impact the fields of law and education, it’s important that educators continuously learn the newest developments in their field as they come to pass.

With their commitment to fairness, justice, and accountability, there is much to be commended in the legal field and throughout law firms. It can be beneficial to look at other industries as well. Whenever an ethical issue arises, it’s important to examine what could be done differently and how these mistakes can be prevented from occurring again. Although these ethical dilemmas may not seem to have any relation to education or your classroom directly, you can apply your personal and professional responsibility to how you answer those questions. You might consider If the ethics seemed relevant, how would you address the issue differently so that it does not happen again? Do you have any ethical guidelines that help you? Did these guidelines serve you or your students well?

When possible, visit other classrooms and ask teachers to observe their interactions with the students. It may be beneficial to video yourself teaching a class to examine your own professional conduct from an objective lens. To learn more about ethics, you will find a number of useful resources online that can teach you about the importance of ethics and how to apply them to your work. Popular websites that house articles on ethics include online news sources as well as professional organizations and journals. These sites even have downloadable e-books, booklets, and white papers that can provide you with the insight you need to make decisions for you and your students that are fair and respectful. As with the legal field, continuous learning can be an invaluable part of being an educator, and it can help you discover new ways to instruct your students, including interacting with parents and other school staff.