Abstract
In this paper, I share findings from a historical investigation into how the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation’s (STF) Code of Ethics has evolved as a direct result of changing legislation. This study was based on the idea that codes of ethics are not stand-alone documents created by professional organizations to guide ethical behaviour, but policies that are a direct reflection of the relationship the profession has with the government in power. I demonstrate that the initial creation and all subsequent revisions of the STF Code of Ethics have never been independent of legislative changes. Rather, changes to the ethical code have been reactionary to political activity and dependent on the legislated changes made by the government in power.
Highlights
In order to better understand the evolution of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation’s (STF) Code of Ethics, it is imperative to understand the STF is a professional organization that identifies itself as a political body
Ozga (1995) maintained that “Professionalism is best understood in context, and in policy context” (p. 22)
Codes spawn predominantly from policies which are themselves influenced by social ideology, economy, and in the case of this paper, government policy
Summary
In order to better understand the evolution of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation’s (STF) Code of Ethics, it is imperative to understand the STF is a professional organization that identifies itself as a political body. It is further important to acknowledge that as the STF evolved through time, its two-pronged nature of being both a professional organization and a political body has highly impacted relations between the STF and the government in power through history. Because the STF bargains with the government and the Ministry of Education mandates much of teachers’ professional work, the intersections between government, legislated policy, and ethics has become entangled. History demonstrates that each time the government enacted, proposed, or changed educational legislation, the role and powers of the STF subsequently altered in response. Any changes to the STF’s role and powers resulted in changes to its Code of Ethics
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