Ethical Dilemma Competition Overview

Ethical Dilemma – TEAM COMPETITION 

ETHICAL DILEMMA SCENARIO FOR 2025  

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Mr. McIntosh is grateful to have been teaching for fifteen years in the small, tight-knit community of Willowbrook. The

town consistently supports its schools, with community members actively engaging in various capacities to ensure their

success. Many educators, including Mr. McIntosh, are active in the community, serving as leaders in youth organizations,

city recreation coaches, and fulfilling other vital volunteer roles.

Mr. McIntosh started his teaching career in Willowbrook right out of college. His passionate teaching and caring

demeanor quickly made him a favorite among the students. Recently, he was named the school’s Teacher of the Year,

largely because of the investment he makes into the lives of his students.

Stella, one of Mr. McIntosh’s students, struggled academically and socially throughout her school experience. According

to the school counselor, Mr. McIntosh was a primary factor in Stella’s growth during her junior and senior years of high

school. The same qualities that made him Teacher of the Year, paved the way for Stella’s success – spending countless

hours after school working with her on physics equations, occasionally checking on her progress at home via text, giving

her confidence by urging her to enter the science fair, as well as taking a personal interest in her and her family.

Mr. McIntosh recognized her academic abilities and encouraged her to consider college, even though no one in her family

had ever attended. He and the school counselor worked closely together to ensure her college application fees were

waived so there would be no barriers to her success.

By the second semester of her senior year, everyone began to recognize a change within Stella. She was achieving

academic success and, more importantly, gaining confidence in herself.

By the time she graduated from high school, Stella had been accepted into a prestigious community college. Her parents

were incredibly proud of her academic, social and personal transformation. They planned a special event to celebrate

Stella’s bright future, as well as Mr. McIntosh’s unwavering contributions to her success.

“You have to be there, Mr. McIntosh. I owe so much to you,” Stella pleaded. “You've taught me so much more than just

science. You've inspired me to pursue my dreams, and I can't imagine my high school years without your guidance, my

parents practically planned this party to celebrate you, too, since you helped me so much. They even purchased a gift to

show their appreciation and want to give it to you at the party. It will be lots of fun. Even though they can sometimes get

kind of wild, my parents throw great parties and have invited all the neighbors. It would mean so much to them and me if

you came.” Her words seemed simple enough, but their weight bore the full extent of her gratitude and admiration for

Mr. McIntosh.

What is the appropriate course of action for Mr. McIntosh to take?

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• Team Competition 2-4 students 

• In this competition, the Educators Rising school program must debate an ethical education- related dilemma. This competition requires students to think deeply about an ethical issue, employ critical-thinking skills, and use persuasive communication techniques to collaboratively debate an ethical dilemma.  

• To participate, each member of the school program must first thoroughly consider the ethical issue and begin to form an individual position on the topic. Then the students must debate the topic together, listening carefully to each other’s opinions. Through the discussion, the students must come to a consensus on the topic and then prepare a 10-minute live presentation stating their team’s view.  

• The students must work together to develop the live, 10-minute presentation and then select at least two and no more than four students from the school to present the group’s opinion and how it was reached to a panel of judges. 

• After the 10 minute presentation, the judges will have 5 minutes to ask questions.