Ethical Decisions
Jose Romero
Week 1
Ethical Dilemma
Ethical Decisions
The case between the natural parents and foster parents of the girl who was taken by the court and placed in a foster home due to her natural parents’ drug addiction, is absolutely a difficult case that presents ethical dilemmas. Although the girl’s foster parents practically raised the child, the court decided to return her to the natural parents. This case poses a critical question; who are the child’s real parents. Most will argue that the child’s parents were the one who dedicated their lives to raise her. On the other hand, do we punish the child’s natural parents for their mistakes?
The law favored the child’s natural parents, but what about her foster parents. They were the ones who raise the girl for nine years. They shouldn’t have to pay for the wrongdoings of others. The natural parents were not capable enough to raise the child because of their drug addiction. They favored the use of drugs over their daughter’s well-being.
Both ethically and legally, the court is obligated to rule in the best interests of the child. Why would the court make such decision against the child’s will? The little girl was used to her family and loved her foster parents. She should have been given a choice. The court did not make the correct ethical decision. The foster parents should have been granted the full custody of the child while at the same time grating the natural parents with visitation rights. The child has to suffer the consequences of her natural parents and now leave her “real parents” behind to start a brand new life next to total strangers.
According to the cared based theory of ethics, making decisions is based on what you would wish done for yourself if in the same circumstances as the people who will be impacted by your decision. If we were to put ourselves in the natural parents’ position, we would probably want to have the same outcome. They made a huge mistake, but were able to rehabilitate
Week 1
Ethical Dilemma
Ethical Decisions
The case between the natural parents and foster parents of the girl who was taken by the court and placed in a foster home due to her natural parents’ drug addiction, is absolutely a difficult case that presents ethical dilemmas. Although the girl’s foster parents practically raised the child, the court decided to return her to the natural parents. This case poses a critical question; who are the child’s real parents. Most will argue that the child’s parents were the one who dedicated their lives to raise her. On the other hand, do we punish the child’s natural parents for their mistakes?
The law favored the child’s natural parents, but what about her foster parents. They were the ones who raise the girl for nine years. They shouldn’t have to pay for the wrongdoings of others. The natural parents were not capable enough to raise the child because of their drug addiction. They favored the use of drugs over their daughter’s well-being.
Both ethically and legally, the court is obligated to rule in the best interests of the child. Why would the court make such decision against the child’s will? The little girl was used to her family and loved her foster parents. She should have been given a choice. The court did not make the correct ethical decision. The foster parents should have been granted the full custody of the child while at the same time grating the natural parents with visitation rights. The child has to suffer the consequences of her natural parents and now leave her “real parents” behind to start a brand new life next to total strangers.
According to the cared based theory of ethics, making decisions is based on what you would wish done for yourself if in the same circumstances as the people who will be impacted by your decision. If we were to put ourselves in the natural parents’ position, we would probably want to have the same outcome. They made a huge mistake, but were able to rehabilitate
References: Vincent Ryan Ruggiero. (2012). Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues (8th Ed.) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill