The Charter
for the Protection of Children and Young People requires
adoption of a Child’s Code of Conduct. (The Archdiocese
of San Antonio has a Code of Ethics for adults in ministry.)
As a Church, we are aware of the importance of child safety
and boundary issues. Establishing a Child’s Code
of Conduct is another opportunity to discuss personal conduct
and responsibility with youth. The Child Lures Instruction
Guide contains a Code of Conduct which can be duplicated
for each child. One should be posted in classrooms and
provided to the child to take home.
Codes for children and adults provide
boundaries and protections in relating to others. It
is the recommendation of the Office of Victim Assistance
and Safe Environment that these serve as a starting point
in instruction. You may wish to discuss principles of
ethical behavior in various youth-centered situations.
Have students and parents create a conduct of conduct
for their home and post the agreement on the refrigerator
door.
Ethical codes exist in law, most professions,
and many unwritten expectations in society as a whole.
Standards of behavior are designed to describe an attainable
level of shared conduct to protect all parties in a relationship.
Some social civility is unwritten, but one can be sure
when a line is crossed by observing the gestures and
expressions of others. As times and culture changes,
ethics have to keep pace. Ten years ago we did not know
email etiquette, but we are aware of it now. Behavioral
expectations must be expressed, understood, and consequences
for non-compliance specified, or the system is useless.
Regular review of the Child’s
Code is recommended because if we do not know what it
says, there is little chance it is being practiced. Do
not forget the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes, the ethical
ideal. Try a comparison of various codes and match them
against Scripture. See how they are the same or different;
consider if the commandments were written today how they
might differ.
Consider sharing your projects with
others. Bringing ethics into everyday life is what it’s
all about—EVERYDAY LIVING! |
