It is critical
for counselors' to be aware of the ethical and legal standards in
the counseling profession. In spite of the education regarding
ethical standards that counseling students receive regarding ethical
practice, there are increasing news reports of unethical behavior
between school counselors and students. In addition, counselors and
counseling interns have reported a struggle in determining
appropriate ethical practice. Examples include:
-
In
response to increasing violence on school campuses, some
counselors' have reported that their administrators are
requiring them to provide daily reports that appear to violate
confidentiality.
-
Increase
in divorces and grandparents raising grandchildren have led to
confusion regarding who has the legal right to a student's
records.
-
As
technology advances, so does its incorporation into the
counseling profession, especially in settings where technology
is a normal means of communication for the population being
served.
Our rapidly
changing society requires that counselors remain current on the
ethical an legal standards of the profession. The goal of this
module is to encourage school counselors to review our ethical
standards and to explore the application of these principles.
