​Welcome to SEE's Reasoning with Ethics page.  The following case  and supporting resources (below)  are provided to help facilitate class discussions or essay assignments with a focus on ethical reasoning. Ethical reasoning is one factor teachers can encourage for student character formation.  

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​SEE encourages the strategy described in our Reasoning with Ethics resources to be applied beyond current events cases and used to analyze relevant cases in history, literature and life.

Current Case

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Cases can be used as
• Class discussion starters
• Reading lessons
• Essay prompts 
• Social studies, health or      ethics class analysis
* See below for link to supporting resources and archived cases

Valuing Life
January 15, 2021
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CBS News reported on third-grade teacher Erin Durga’s organ donation of a kidney to help her school’s custodian Pat Merten. Merten’s daughter had highlighted the need to save her father’s life in a Facebook post. Erin knew that with the same blood type, she could meet the need. After some quick reflection, Erin told her husband that she would donate a kidney.

Organdonor.gov notes that on any given day there are over 100,000 people on an organ-donor waitlist with most waiting for a kidney. Healthy people have eight organs they can donate in their passing, while 17 people die each day for the lack of organ-donor supply. To become a donor like Erin Durga, one doesn’t have to die, they just 

Supplemental Links:

CBS News-- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/teacher-saves-custodians-live-with-kidney-donation/
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Organdonor.gov-- https://www.organdonor.gov/

need to make the choice. Those choosing to become an organ donor are encouraged to register as a donor, which usually gets identified on a driver’s license.
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It clearly takes the core value of compassion to guide a person to become a living organ donor. While organ donning (living or dead) is a noble choice, SEE askes students to consider if there is an ethical obligation to donate? (Why or why not?) In addition, what role might courage play in supporting a choice to make a living donation? 

Thoughts on the case? We want to hear them!

Comments should include response to blog questions with specific reference to analysis using core values.

​​​Ethics in action creates character