Teachers’ ethical decision-making in the face of injustice: Qualitative normative case study analysis as novel methodology

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative analysis of the ethical reasoning of 149 teachers working in a large city district. Through exploring how these experienced teachers reason through a ‘normative case study in educational ethics’ (NCS) that presents an ethical dilemma of how to support a student experiencing multiple injustices in and outside of school, this study offers an illustration of how individual teacher decision-making seeks to mitigate structural inequities. Findings show that, in contrast to the techno-rational decision-making assumed by the USA K-12 education system, teachers’ ethical reasoning in this case was individually-focused, holistic, and flexible. These findings suggest the need for professional development and systemic change that supports teachers’ complex individual ethical reasoning. Methodologically, this study demonstrates that qualitative philosophical inquiry using normative case studies is a promising approach to investigating teachers’ situated ethical and moral reasoning in real time.