Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Cooperating teacher invites student teacher to have a beer after school A divorced, 43 year-old male 4th grade teacher is assigned a student teacher from the local university. She is 22, pretty, and has an engaging personality. At the end of the first week of the student teaching experience, the cooperating teacher invites the student teacher to have a beer after school to celebrate a successful first week. She declines his offer. At the end of the second week of her student teaching, the cooperating teacher invites her out to dinner so that they can discuss lesson plans for the following week. She again declines his invitation. She then rushes to the university and tells the student teaching coordinator that she will not return to his classroom as she is being sexually harassed. She states that she is contemplating filing charges against the teacher. Is there merit to the student teacher's allegations? What are the legal and ethical considerations of this situation? How should the university and the elementary school principal deal with this issue? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) This situation should be treated with discretion. Is the cooperating teacher being flirtatious during the student teachers day, or has this been two incidents of "out of the blue" invitations. If the student teacher feels threatened then she should not be required to go back, but some discretion should be used.                 Rating The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) No The suggested solution is relevant to the case No The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement No The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue No The suggested solution is original No Comments: I don't think this is the best solution to this ethical problem, though it has valid points to be made. Rated On: October 19, 2015 2:14 am Rated By: eRymaT