Conduct Unbecoming? Teacher Professionalism, Ethical Codes & Shifting Expectations – Comprehensive Bullet-Point Notes

Abstract & Overview

• Purpose of paper:

  • Historical investigation of how definitions of "appropriate teacher conduct" in Saskatchewan evolved alongside the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) Code of Ethics and the creation of a government-mandated regulatory board.

  • Central claim: language of ethical codes shifted from explicit, prescriptive, and regulatory to abstract, aspirational, and potentially ambiguous.

• Practical relevance:

  • Enhances ethical awareness for educators.

  • Offers insights for other self-governing professions wrestling with public accountability.

• Key illustration: media exposé (Star-Phoenix, 2013) alleged inadequate STF discipline → provincial review (Kendel Report, 2013) → creation of Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board (SPTRB) in 2015.

Core Research Questions

• Main question: How have understandings of teacher professionalism and ethical expectations evolved in Saskatchewan?

• Sub-questions:

  1. What counted as proper or improper conduct before STF formation (pre-1935)?

  2. What did the first STF Code of Ethics ("Canon," 1935) prescribe?

  3. What significant changes occurred in the Code between 1935 and 2017?

Conceptual & Historical Background

• Profession as sociological construct:

  • Classical traits tradition (Parsons 1968): specialized training, mastery via practice, internal mechanisms for responsible use.

  • Expanded lists (Bayles 1989, Benveniste 1987, etc.): public service, autonomy, self-regulation, explicit code of ethics.

  • Modern definition (Professional Standards Council, 2016): disciplined group adhering to ethical standards, recognized expertise, duty to apply knowledge for public benefit.

• Codes of Ethics—roots & purposes:

  • Etymology: Latin "codex/caudex" (book of rules); historic precedent in Biblical, Roman, and Napoleonic codes.

  • Four generic purposes (Banks 1995/1998):

  1. Mark occupational group as a profession.

  2. Build/maintain shared professional identity.

  3. Guide individual decision-making.

  4. Protect clients/public from malpractice.

• Distinction law vs. ethics:

  • Law = minimum enforceable standards; ethics = aspirational, chosen, negotiated values (Iacovino 2002; Annis 1989).

  • Yet ethics, policy, and legislation interweave (Easton 1965; Dye 1994); governments increasingly shape “professionalism.”

• Teaching’s heightened ethical complexity:

  • Constant public scrutiny (“goldfish bowl,” Monteiro 2015).

  • Clients = compulsory-attendance children → elevated duty of care (NBPTS 2002).

  • Public trust contingent on integrity, competence, alignment with societal values (STF 2008).

Methodology Snapshot

• Historical/qualitative document analysis (“quilter” metaphor, Denzin & Lincoln 2005).

• Primary sources: STF executive minutes, Bulletins, legislative acts, archived newsletters, successive codes.

• Secondary sources: sociological, historical, policy scholarship.

• Dual authenticity test (Tosh 1991):

  • External criticism (origin, authorship, date).

  • Internal criticism (meaning, reliability).

• Continuous "anticipatory data reduction" (Miles & Huberman 1994): analysis begins during source selection.

Timeline of Ethical Governance (Key Milestones)

• 1872–1915: "Rules for Teachers" posters—hyper-specific lifestyle rules (e.g., skirt ≤ 2 inches above ankle, no dyed hair).

• 1935: Formation of STF; first Code (Canon of Teaching Ethics).

• 1957: New Code after 3-year provincial consultation; shift to five "Principles" (students → parents → public → employer → profession).

• 1973: Code rewritten; "Commitments" replace "Principles"; brevity and individual flexibility prioritized.

• 2000: Moralistic language nearly removed; no direct mention of "conduct"; focus on honour/dignity without specifics.

• 2013: Investigative media series triggers public concern.

• 2015: Registered Teachers Act establishes SPTRB; STF loses disciplinary power.

• 2015: SPTRB issues Standards of Professional Conduct (five standards + practical indicators).

• 2017: STF revises Code (Bylaw 6); wording tweaks but maintains abstract style.

Detailed Comparison of Conduct Expectations

Pre-STF Rules (e.g., 1872/1915)

• Explicit behavioural prescriptions:

  • Workday: start fire 7:00 a.m. for 8:00 room warmth.

  • Prohibitions: smoking, liquor, barber shops, bright clothes.

  • Domestic chores: sweep daily, scrub weekly.

• Underlying rationale: Anglo-Protestant moral rectitude; teachers as community exemplars.

Canon of Teaching Ethics (1935)

• Structure: 45 duties across 7 stakeholder categories (State, Trustees, Dept. of Education, Pupils, Fellows, Profession, Self).

• Language: "It shall be the duty…"; strong verbs (cooperate, refrain, exercise vigilance).

• Conduct highlights:

  • Personal character: neatness, sobriety, courtesy, tolerance, industry.

  • Pedagogical fidelity: teach mandated curriculum, maintain order, accurate records.

  • Professional solidarity: never speak disparagingly of colleagues.

• Patriarchal bias: repeated male pronoun, closing call to be "a gentleman." Gender imbalance ignored (majority female workforce).

Code of Ethics (1957)

• Created through province-wide workshops.

• Five key principles; students now first.

• Conduct references abstracted: e.g., "adhere to any reasonable pattern of behaviour." No list of “reasonable” behaviours provided.

• Still invokes spirituality (“strengthen community’s moral, spiritual life”).

Code of Ethics (1973)

• Teachers complained 1957 version "cumbersome, moralistic, inflexible."

• Headings now "Commitments"; parents’ category dropped.

• Only conduct clause: "conduct himself so that no dishonour befalls him or his profession"—undefined.

Code of Ethics (2000 & 2017)

• Removes “Conduct” term entirely; uses positive framing (maintain honour/dignity, strive to make profession attractive).

• Ambiguities noted:

  • What constitutes "honour," "attractive," "appropriate advocacy," "best of ability"?

  • Risk: variable personal interpretations → inconsistent practice, disciplinary vulnerability.

SPTRB Standards (2015)

• Five standards, each with concrete indicators.

• Regulatory bylaws specify misconduct list (e.g., "any intentional act designed to humiliate," "sexually abusive conduct," "signing false documents").

• Restores clarity absent from STF Codes post-1973.

Societal & Philosophical Drivers Behind Shifts

• Early 20th-C.: nation-building, Protestant ethics, elite paternalism → prescriptive codes.

• 1960s–1970s: liberal individualism, civil rights, Canadian Bill of Rights → demand for autonomy, flexibility.

• 1990s–2000s: multiculturalism + skepticism toward centralized authority → retreat from moral absolutism.

• 2010s: digital transparency, media scrutiny, accountability discourses → government intervention, separation of regulatory/advocacy roles.

Ethical, Practical & Policy Implications

• Ambiguity trade-off:

  • Pro: respects teacher judgement, adaptable to varied contexts.

  • Con: leaves gray areas, raises risk of unforeseen misconduct allegations, undermines consistent public trust.

• Regulatory dualism:

  • STF (advocacy + aspirational ethics) vs. SPTRB (licensure + discipline).

  • Mirrors trends in other professions separating union/association from regulatory college.

• Historical consciousness as ethical tool:

  • Knowing the lineage of codes helps teachers debate, update, and internalize professional duties.

Examples, Analogies & Metaphors

• "Goldfish bowl" (Monteiro): teachers’ every move visible, magnifying ethical lapses.

• Historian as "quilter" (Denzin & Lincoln): piecing fragmented documents into coherent narrative mirrors educators stitching diverse ethical expectations into day-to-day practice.

Key Names & Documents to Remember

• STF founders / author of 1935 Canon: J. H. Sturdy.

• Media catalyst: Journalist Jason French, Star-Phoenix series (2013).

• Government report: "For the Sake of Students" (Kendel 2013).

• Legislation: Registered Teachers Act (Province of Saskatchewan, 2015).

• Agencies: Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF); Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board (SPTRB).

Quick-Reference Glossary

• Conduct Unbecoming: behaviour deemed disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional under SPTRB bylaws.

• Aspirational Code: emphasizes ideals, broad commitments, positive framing; less prescriptive.

• Regulatory Code: explicit rules/duties; breach leads to formal sanctions.

• Self-regulation: authority granted to a profession to set and enforce its own standards.

Study Prompts & Reflection Questions

• How does the shift from “duties” to “commitments” mirror broader cultural changes in Canadian society?

• In what ways might ambiguous codes both empower and endanger educators?

• Compare the SPTRB misconduct list with an earlier Canon clause; would the same behaviours have been punishable in 1935? Why or why not?

Numerical / Statistical Details (All in LaTeX)

• 45 duties in 1935 Canon.

• 55,000 female teachers cited in 1938 Department of Education remark.

• 3-year consultation to create 1957 Code.

• 5 SPTRB standards of conduct.

Concluding Take-Aways

• Historical trajectory: prescriptive → flexible → ambiguous → dual-system clarity (SPTRB).

• Maintaining public trust requires balance: clear enforceable standards + space for professional judgement.

• Ethical literacy benefits from studying codes as living documents shaped by social, political, and cultural currents.