For teacher student relations, there must be boundary issues between teachers and students. The risk of gaining poor reputation of staff and inequality in power which is evidenced in relationship between student and the staff, it is not advisable for teachers to pursue any personal relationship with their students or make any approach sexually to student that he or she is teaching currently. Most of teachers start up a relationship with their students which are based on preferential treatment which in most cases they expect to be compensated with sexual favor. Such approach can also come from students and teachers should learn how to resist such approaches from their students. Apart from this, consensual relationship between teacher and student results as a form of understanding between each other and the fact that they are grown ups it should not be interfeared with not unless it is a treat to other students and the working environment of their collegues.
In case any consensual personal relationship that take place between student and teachers should be reported to the head of department so that it can be evaluated whether it is causing a harm to the others or not (Tittle, P. ,1998, p 135). Good relationship between teacher and student can only be maintained only when total respect for each other is maintained.
In most cases, student-teacher relationship shows a level of dependency and therefore, need for firm boundaries may vary with varying situations which need to be enhanced at all time so that there will be no care of consensual relationship between teacher and student.
Most of the higher education institutions have found out that there is inherent conflict of interest when direct student teacher relationship is maintained which can lead to consensual sexual relationship between them. In most cases, students accept such relationships so that in turn they can receive high grades which they have not worked for. Dating between students and teachers should be prohibited since it violates the code of conducts of both the teacher and the students. But since the relationship is based on grown ups it should be left out to be upon the teacher and the student who are involved in this form of relationship to decide whether it is appropriate for them to continue with the relationship or not . They should not face any pressure from any one to end the relationship since they are all grown up (Patai, M., 2002, p 70).
Important rules have been imposed in higher education which are meant to ban dating between student and teachers since it is against the rules to get involved in such activities. In most of the higher institution learning centers, there are well established rules and guidelines which prohibits students from being involved in such activities. Most institution have established rules that are total ban of dating between teachers and student.
Sexual activity in higher learning centers between students and teachers has a lot of impact despite the fact that student and the teacher does not have any negative aspect of the relationship. It has been noted that sexual activity is increasingly evident mostly between female students and male teachers than between male students and female students.
Most of the universities have established policies and codes which guide students and teachers so that they will avoid such activities of being involved in consensual sexual relationship. In drafting these policies, staff has direct control over the students and they are the main determinant of step of action to be taken to both student and teachers who are found to be involved in such relationships. When this is enhanced, a good working environment is created which enables equality in opportunity among all the student without some getting favor from teachers in return to teacher’s sexual gain.
Universities are seeking to maintain environment that suits professional education therefore, they have established policies which when they are violated it lead to disciplinary action being taken upon them. Universities have established policies in regard to consensual relationship.
These policies have been established to deal with the issue of consensual relationshipsince it is a common problem between teachers and students and in this case it happens when student is enrolled in that teacher’s course or in case enrollment will take place in future. These are of concern in most of universities since they pose both ethical and administrative problem. Being involved in consensual relationship it hinders real or perceived integrity which makes supervisison by teacher quite difficult (Kincaid, 2000, p 617).
Consensual relationship within the university results to a number of problems which come up in numerous ways and that is why code of ondacts and policies must be drafted which will ensure that consensual relationship does not affect other students or the administration. Some of the aspects are seen to be consensual to the party and this can be coercive in the other party. In this case, one party has ability to influence the academic status of the other positively without much effort being employed to achieve it. The party may have a feeling that when he refuses it can lead to loss of academic favor or employment benefit. They consent to unwelcome relationship so that they can have these benefits.
Consensual relationship has led to fomulation of policies since there is great risk posed to both party becouse they all fear that one party may end up exploiting the other. Senior person who in this case is the teacher may be interested in student for sexual benefits only and therefore, the student has to agree in order to acquire academic interests out of it. In other case, the person with less authority can end up to seek for relationship so that he or she can have the benefits that one deserves. But since the two parties have reached consensus and they have agreed to continue with their relationship, the issue of exploitation should not deter them from going on with their relationship. The law which governs such issues should be set in a way that it is fair for all who are involved in consensual relationship since they are all grown up and they can choose to partner with anyone.
Sometimes circumstances changes whereby conducts that were welcoming turn out to be unwelcome and this pose great problems to both parties (Refinetti, 2001, p 110).
Problems which harm both parties can arise from this form of relationship whereby they bring problems to both work environment and harm the academic aspect of the student. Conflicts over interest arise in relationship between both parties. In most cases, problems are brought about by third party whereby they believes the person who is involved in relationship is being favored which creates suspicious and resentment atmosphere among the favored and the third party.
Consensual relationship policies are drafted in universities for the following reasons: So that the problems which are outlined in regard to consensual relationship can be avoided, protect people from suffering that they can get when they are involved in such acts and also to have information and guidelines which need to be followed to reduce these incidences.
Below are some of the policies that universities need to follow so that these problems can be reduced:
Teachers are not supposed to enter into any consensual relationship with students who they are teaching and they are under their authority within their department.
Teachers are not supposed to accept any authority from students who incidences of consensual relationship had occurred earlier without any agreement.
Teachers should not agree to give special attention to those student who have been involved in such acts of sexual immorality before.
Teachers and students should be aware that if they are involved in consensual relationship, their ability to mentor and teach will be limited either directly or indirectly.
Consensual relationship can lead to termination of authority on parties which are involved in such act especially for the teacher and this policy is enhanced so that teachers can avoid such act since they can lead to their sucking (Gossett, & Bellas, 2001, p 535). Students can also be withdrawn from the course if they participate in such acts.
There are some code of professionalism which prohibit students and teachers from entering into consensual relation. These code of ethics need to be applied in every department so that good professionalism relationship can be enhanced. These helps member of staff in dealing with personal issues which conflicts with their professional work. Code of conducts are meant to guide behavior where personal interests comes in profession. Code are meant to forestall, unfair advantages and disadvantages which are mostly evident in students who are involved in consensual relationship with their teachers. Code of conducts helps in avoiding problems which arise from consensual relationship when it turn to non-consensual. Professional conducts should be based on the following principles:
Teachers should be aware of their professional and ethical responsibility so that they can protect the interest of student so that there can be trust between the staff so that they can accept the constraint and their obligation in carrying out their responsibilities (Fulda, & Dank, 1998, p 110).
When there is romantic sexual relationship between student and teachers the two parties fees that it is okey since it is their decision to enter in relationship but in contrast their can be emergence of serious difficulty in unequal power and therefore, there are problems in maintaining boundaries in both their personal life and profession. The relationship which arise can disrupt learning for other student since they will be having a feeling that they are less favored by their teacher.
Code will enable those student who have been involved in such act and they do not value the relationship to be consensual but rather a forced relationship to report to relevant authority since this aspect is valued as harassment.
Consensual sexual relationship between teacher and student lies under prohibited activities policies. This policy is meant to equalize academic and employment decision which reduces the risks of conflicts which accompanies objective judgment and this can result to conflict in various institutions (Nielsen, & Skeen, 1983). This policy protects the integrity of academic work and that of staff within the institution. Members who have violated this rule are not supposed to enter into direct activities with student and they are hence prohibited from having direct involvement with student. Likewise, those students who also violates the rule are supposed to be expelled since they are taking advantage of other student which should be reciprocated with serious disciplinary action should be administered to both the teacher and the student.
Members of the staff and student should ensure that they comply with the policy of university which deals with consensual sexual activity between students and teachers so that they will not fall victims of the circumstances. Compliance can be enhanced by structuring those conditions that deals with employment and academic association so that the prohibited activity can be fully eliminated or else one can avoid personal relationship with either student or the teacher which can lead to consensual sexual relationship. Structuring of these rules should be fair such that they are not meant to favor any party therefore, both students and staff should ensure that they comply to university’s policies so that such nasty incidences can be avoided.
To comply with these policies, departments should have advisor’s who take part in advising students on various way of avoiding such incidences from occurring and this can help them to view consensual relationship with teachers as harassment rather than seeing benefits in it which helps them to avoid it by all means (Patai, 1998, p 30).
Policy of violation assists the administration to deal with the issue of consensual relationship so that they can determine whether the policy has been violated or not inorder to address the issue of violated policy in a fair and consistent manner. This is done in regard with other policies of the university so that necessary disciplinary action can hence follow.
Any good atmosphere within the university is based on mutual trust which enables respect for all members within that specific fraternity or academic community. Faculty members both students and staffs together with all the members of the university who are holding different positions should take responsibilities at their hand to that they can ensure that highest degree of ethical and professional standards are adhered to so that any action that can undermine the learning atmosphere
of university can be avoided so that the institution can gain trust and respect from the community and this facilitates enhancement of university missions.
The policies which are drafted to deal with the issue of consensual relationship should be justified for the favour of those who are involved in the issue of consensual relationship since they are grown ups and they do not need to take objection from any one in dealing with the personal life and therefore this form of relationship should be taken like any other relationship which take place between two individuals. In dealing with a case that involves consensual relationship, judges should be fare since some of these relationships are not for material or emotional gain but they last.
Since there is inherent trust and power imbalance needed, members of faculty and those in power must take caution and be ware of carrying out some of the illegal activities within the institution such as dating or having sexual affairs with student which is quite dangerous and unethical for their career. Relationship between student and teacher appears like exploitation which lead to impaired trust and integrity of teacher-student relationship. In most cases, these relationships begins and remains consensual but it can later be viewed as non consensual which in turn lead to individuals being charged with sexual harassment.
Romantic dating and sexual relationship between student and teachers should be discouraged since it is mainly enhanced poor relationship with other students and also other staff who do not value the act of consensual relationship between staff and students there is high risk of biasness when the teacher is allocating the marks or supervising other academic programs which does not show fairness in academic grounds when it is needed for all student so that fair and just results can be attained for all.
When there is romantic dating between teacher and student whereby the teacher has some duties to supervise on employee or he is involved in any process of evaluating student, biasness is achieved since student will not be evaluated in terms of his or her capability but it will be based on other aspects whereby the teacher will consider the fact that they are intimate friends and therefore, more marks can be awarded to student. That is why this act is strongly discouraged in institution so that fairness for all can be achieved.
In most cases, when teacher is involved in such an act his or her capability is lowered and he is determined as someone who is immoral and disciplinary action need to follow so that he or she can act as an example to the rest who might get involved in such act. disciplinary action which is likely to be taken by higher body is things like remaining in the same position without being promoted even if he or she has potential to work at a higher level. Dismissal is another aspect that can be used as disciplinary action to those teachers who are found to be involved in those unethical standards. Dismissal can occur to both student and teacher whereby students is discontinued from students. These disciplinary actions are mainly taken into consideration being based on policies of the institution since those who are involved in these act are found to have violated the policies set by the institution. For example, the folowing is a case of a teacher who was suspended because of being involved in consensual relationship with a student
In 1984, male student accused a teacher who was in his faculty because he made sexual advances and in return he offered better grades to those students who were involved. After thorough investigations were carried out, it lead to dismissal of the teacher by the president. The teacher testified that he had consensual sexual relationship with student but he denied rewarding them with better grades. The teacher claimed that the relationship which was being questioned was based on consensus which was taking place outside the purview of the institution. The count found out that the arguments had no xxx. The count supported dismissal of the teacher regarding to his behaviour as unethical since he was exploiting student as his advantage. This is all what lead to his dismissal and he became like any other person in the street.
Community policy is another aspect which deals with consensual relationship between students and teacher. It applies to those relationships between individuals within the same institution who are in different powers such as relationship between teacher and a student (Hooks, 1996, p 45). This form of relationship leads to undermined potential of supervision and those who are involved do not perform their duties the right way which can result to their dismissal or lack of promotion to the next level. The relationship which involves teacher and student may harm others who are in that area to other student and it also negatively affects the work environment. This is because the only person who benefits in this case is the only one who is involved in this form or relationship and others are less advantaged. Relationship restrict opportunity that can be utilized to create good environment for others.
Consensual relationship between student and teacher also has other adverse consequences based on this policy, since it can result to individual filling charges claiming of sexual harassment from the other partner when relationship turn out to be non-consensual. These charges are mostly filled under another university’s policy such as sexual harassment policy especially when one party wishes to terminate the relationship and the other one is not willing to end the relationship. When sexual harassment result from this form of relationship it is not viewed as relation of sexual harassment policy. Those who are dealing with the issue refers to it as consensual due to powers of the relationship and its quite difficult to come up with defense of such charges. Community policy is most applicable to all individuals involved are of the same sex or not.
Prohibited relationship is under policy statement and this entirely deals with all form of consensual relationship between student and teachers which is prohibited in most higher level of education. Despite the fact that those who are involved are adults and they can make their own decisions, such relationship are quite unethical since they bring about biasness within the work environment is mainly used in those cases that relationship exists between students and teacher since it is meant to deal with issues of relationship whereby one of the party has superior post then the other and therefore, there is act of supervision to either party. Therefore, it entirely deals with a junior and senior in various fields especially in higher institutions of learning.
The policy does not allow teachers to have any romantic or sexual relationship with students who are enrolled in their faculty or those that they are teaching. It also prohibit teachers from engaging in relationship with students who they are supervising in any area since this can lead to increased level of biasness while carrying out these activities. Therefore, policy statement ensures that there is no direct involvement and special relationship between the teacher and student who they have direct responsibility over them.
Relationships which are discouraged requires disclosure to the relevant authority so that the issue can be dealt with accordingly so that necessary steps can be taken which will reduce the effect of such behavior within learning institution. When this issue is finally dealt with fair learning can be enhanced for all since no favoritism will occur because teachers and students will be fearing to face disciplinary actions such as dismissal form work or school or lack of promotion to the next level (Albuquerque, ; Dank, 1998, p 39).
For example consensual relationship policy prohibits relationship between teacher and student. Student D was taking a course which was being taught by professor F. Relationship built between these two parties. At the end of course and professor was submitting final grade, it was noted that student D had performed the best which was not the case with other courses which the student had undertaken. This policy will help investigations to be carried out effectively so that investigations can be made to determine whether the grade allocated to student D was fair or it was facilitated by the fact that the two of them have a relationship. This policy will help everyone to gain fair marks without influence of relationship.
After thorough follow up of the case, it was found out that the professor had allocated false grade onto the student and therefore, disciplinary action need to be taken upon the professor and the student. Professor was dismissed from his teaching career and student was not promoted to the next grade which made her to repeat the course once again. This action which was taken helped greatly in preventing future cases of student teacher relationship.
Consensual relationship policies should by all means be legalized since there are a lot of problems which arise as a result of such relationship. These problems consequently affects those who are involved in the relationship, other colleagues and also the working environment. When policies which are laid down to deal with these issues are legalized some of these negative aspects can be reduced. The policies when they are followed effectively, makes people to be aware of the impact they can created to those who are involved and also the consequences of bearing punishment which can be either dismissal, lack of promotion or even neglection by other members.
When these policies are violated, legal actions are taken and these policies therefore, need to be legalized so that necessary action can be taken for those who are seen to be violating such policies which it can lead to loss of job or studies for those who are found to violate these policies. When these policies are legalized, other students cannot stand to have burden of others whereby students need to have fair grades distributed to all students which is based entirely on the policies that prohibit such act. Working environment can also be enhanced when there policies are legalized there will be fear to violate them and therefore, these policies need to be legalized so that working environment can be enhanced.
Harassment can also arise when there is consensual relationship between people who their status is not equal. Most of the institutions have codes which have special clause which deals with such incidences. This enables the involved parties to be aware of restrictions that are put among them so that they can avoid such incidences. Consensual relationship is not viewed as harassment since mutual understanding has to take place before any consensual relationship can arise. In this case where this is not viewed as harassment status or one professionalism can be used in sex trading. This happens when the relationship fails and it can result to biasness. For example, a graduate was denied recommendation letter from the department which was to be written by a teacher who in earlier days they were involved in consensual relationship since the teacher valued it as unethical to do so since he saw that a lot of biasness while result when writing the letter. The teacher who refused to recommend student was the most experienced teacher in the department who could have written the recommendation letter since he was also an expert when it came to evaluating students. Another incidence occurred when a teacher who was involved in consensual relationship with the graduate student had to rescue himself from a meeting which was held, amongst the PHD holders committee within the department. He failed to attend the meeting since he felt that he was not ready to sit in a committee with students who were graduates and he had relationship with. He looked for other reasons so that he could disguise his motives for not taking part in the meeting. This action did not affect just the student who was having a relationship with him but it also affected the rest who required his contribution (Albuquerque, ; Dank, 1998, p 50). Therefore, it is evident that consensual relationship within higher learning institutions can lead to poor mentoring and facilitation of services to student who require them at experts of one student. In other case, policies which are meant to deal which such act should be legalized so that students who are innocent cannot end up suffering at expense of one student who is involved in consensual relationship with the teacher.
Therefore, to sum it all, some of the policies which regards to student teacher relationship
should be followed strictly so that good atmosphere for learning can be created in higher education and this help those who violate the rules of university and engage in such activities to face punishment. Therefore, in dealing with various issues which regards to consensual relationship there are statement and values which need to be followed so that this can be handled without favorism.
Statement of values state that when one is involved in consensual relationship with superior it leads to unfair actions and favorism and the person who is in position will be biased in dealing. Other individuals who are in learning environment will feel that they are less favored and disadvantaged with the personal relationship of those who are linked. When this relationship takes place people become suspicious of what will happen in future in regard to professionalism which has greatly been influenced by the relationship.
Consensual relationship policies need to be legalized so that such iwhich will help in making fair judgement in regard to different cases of consensual relationship which are a firm agreement between two adults and therefore not unless if it is seen as a problem to the institution and the other students it should not be viewed as a crime. These policies should therefore first way the impact of relationship to the university community.
Before taking any action, there is need to understand both the teacher and students who are found to be violating such policies so that before any action can be taken there is a clear evidence that there is need for suspension or discontinuation from employment or studies which ia way of dealing with dealing with those who are involved in such act and this can act as an example to the others who would try to be engaged in such relationship in higher learning institutions. Since the affair does not have impact only to the one who are involved in it, efforts must be employed to ensure that the issue of consensual affair does not occur in any institution. This will help in enhancing good learning atmosphere which will hence boost the standards of the university. This should be entirely after understanding the impact of the relationship on other since there are some relationship which do not impact ngative aspect in learning atmosphere. A proove should always be provided when dealing with such issue so that fair judgement can be made.
Reference.
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