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A colleague manipulates a lottery drawing for a trip to exclude a student with behavior issues. A school librarian discovers that a parent volunteer has violated a student's right to confidentiality. A principal asks teachers "to monitor the movements" of two female high school students; their parents disapprove of their romantic relationship. What would you do if faced with these situations?

In Now What? Confronting and Resolving Ethical Questions: A Handbook for Teachers (Corwin, 2010), Sarah V. Mackenzie and G. Calvin Mackenzie remind readers that educators are "keepers of the public's trust," and that their "moral courage" is often tested in situations involving students, parents, co-workers, and the larger community. Recognizing the complexity of this charge, the authors offer teachers and administrators a framework for creating (and maintaining) an ethical culture within their schools.

Now What? begins with a general conversation on ethics. From the obvious responsibility to obey the law and to act civilly to the tougher issues of conflict of interest and the misuse of power, the Mackenzies outline why ethical behavior is essential in a school setting. They define general principles and ask guiding questions including, "How would I want to be treated in this situation?" "Would it be acceptable if everyone did it?" and "Would it be acceptable behavior if everyone knew about it?"

In Part II, the authors examine these principles by highlighting real-life scenarios that are sure to provoke discussion. How about the classroom teacher who markets a learning program to the parents of her students? Or the educator who has been accused but exonerated of sexual misconduct? How should the librarian respond to the co-worker who consistently violates copyright laws by making multiple copies of workbook pages, citing lack of funds as an excuse? Each case study is followed by an examination of the situation from the points of view of all the individuals involved and concludes with a thoughtful answer.

Additional, open-ended cases are presented for "For Reflection and Conversation"; consider these for in-house study groups to encourage staff to think and talk about ethics. Two other helpful resources are included in the book. One, a reflective journal entry adapted from the "Critical Incident Protocol" developed by The National School Reform Faculty, will jump-start objective responses to thorny moral predicaments. The other is an outline for an all-day staff development workshop.

Clearly, an ethical environment is optimal for students, parents, teachers, and administrators. As the authors fittingly note: "Often the greatest challenge to the ethical culture of any school is the people with primary responsibility for developing and maintaining it: us."