Confidentiality and Minors

Confidentiality is an essential component to the counseling process. It allows for the client to build a trustful relationship with the counselor. â€Å" Counselors regard the promise of confidentiality to be essential for the development of client trust† (Glosoff & Pate, 2002). Most individuals that seek counseling services assume that what is discussed in the counseling sessions with the counselor will be kept in confidence with limited exceptions. These exceptions become a complex balancing act for the counselor especially when their clients are minors. Confidentiality is a widely held ethical standard a variously accorded legal right of clients and responsibility of counselors (American Counseling Association, 2005: American School Counseling Association, 2010). According to the Ethical Standards for School Counselors and the Code of Ethics and Standards for Counseling (2010), both specify that counselors are ethically required to take appropriate action and breach confide ntiality in certain circumstances involving minors.Counselors are required to breach confidentiality if there is imminent danger to self and others, if there is suspected child abuse or neglect or to protect a vulnerable client from danger. There are other limitations to confidentiality and minors as well. Some of these limitations involve parents and their right to know what is happening in counseling sessions between the therapist and their child.This problem is one that schools counselors and clinical therapists must face when counseling minors. Counselors in both clinical and school settings are faced with ethical issues with regards to confidentiality each time they encounter a client that is a minor. School Counselors have a variety of roles and responsibilities to students, teachers, parents and administrators (Iyer, McGregor & Connor, 2010).According to the American School Counseling Association (2004), it is the responsibility of the school counselor to help a child develop effective coping skills, identify personal strengths and assets, recognize and express feelings and provide a foundation for the child’s personal and social growth as he or she progresses from school to adulthood as apart of the process. School Counselors must collaborate with all persons involved with the minor in this process, which usually includes the parents and teachers. SchoolCounselors are also sometimes asked to be apart of child study teams within the school, which can be very beneficial to the students and those involved in their lives. School Counselors must follow the American School Counseling Association’s ethical standards for School Counselors regarding confidentiality. In beginning sessions between the client and the school counselor confidentiality should be discussed and the conditions in which it may have to be breached. According to Lazovsky (2010), The management of student confidentiality has been described as the primary ethical dilemma of sch ool counselors.There are various ethical and legal issues that arise for School Counselors when dealing with confidentiality. School Counselors are required ethically to report when a student engages in clear and imminent danger to themselves or others. Some school counselors base their decision to breach confidentiality on how imminent the danger is that is being presented by the situation. â€Å"Most counselors would agree parents should be informed of drug experimentation by an 8 year old. Many however, would disagree to tell parents that a 16 year old client reported occasional experimentation with marijuana† (Glosoff & Pate, 2002).This example shows that school counselors should use discretion when deciding to breach confidentiality. These two minor clients are different but each situation has a variety of ways that it could be handled. According to Lazovky (2008), school counselors are advised to consult with supervisors and colleagues before making decisions based on b reaching confidentiality. They should also know their state policies and laws in the school jurisdiction. Another ethical and legal issue that can arise for school counselors counseling minors in relation to confidentiality is the disclosure of student provided information to parents.Privileged communication is apart of confidentiality. Privileged communication allows for clients to ask counselors to keep their communications and records of their counseling sessions confidential. Privilege belongs to the client and the counselor asserts privilege for the client. According to Glosoff (2002), the already complex issue of privileges communication for school counselors is made even more complex by who has the privilege when counseling a minor. Parents of minors rather than minor clients are assumed to control privilege. School Counselors are sometimes subpoenaed for court appearances when the parent’s do not agree on whether the counselors presence is necessary in the testimony o r a parental custody dispute may be the heart of the legal proceeding. The ACA and ASCA recognize that school counselors have limits to their ability to protect client confidences. School Counselors must not only be mindful of their ethical duties but cooperate with any laws that that apply to them as well. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) establishes that parents control the rights of students under the age of 18 (Iyer, McGregor & Connor, 2010).This includes any of the student’s records such as grades, awards and date of birth. Decisions about the release of these records are based under exceptions under FERPA and also the parent’s consent. However, most records regarding the student are held in safe places where other school officials do not have or need access. Another law that school counselors must keep in mind is HIPAA. This law was enacted to protect patient’s health information. In relation to school counselors, the student’s me dical records are being protected. The issue of confidentiality in Child Study Teams has become an ethical dilemma for many school counselors.The school counselor must decide on what to disclose and what information to inquire about based on each member’s rights and responsibilities. Deciding what to reveal and what to keep confidential can be a hard and difficult task for school counselors. Clinical Therapists face many ethical and legal issues with regards to confidentiality as well. Clinical Therapists are different from School Counselors in their role with minors because the only stakeholder involved with the therapist in most cases is the parent. According to Ellis (2009), minor’s right to confidentiality is an area at times, which ethics and the law are in conflict.One of these ethical dilemmas arises in the area client privilege. In the case of minors, this privilege extends to the parents who act as representatives to their dependent children. Clinical Therapis t struggle with maintaining confidentiality for their minor clients especially when the law is on the side of the parents because they have the right to know. Stone & Issacs (2003) suggest that in order to deal with ethical issues regarding confidentiality and minors therapists should prepare a written professional services agreement which provides details on the limits and conditions of confidentiality.At this point the parent can be involved in their child’s treatment in various ways. One of the ways that parents can be involved is through periodical family sessions. In the clinical counseling setting, there are often conflicts between duties of confidentiality and the need to share information with parents or other agencies that provide care for a child or adolescent. There can also be ethical conflicts between duties of confidentiality, grounded in respect for patient autonomy, and both statutory and moral obligations to report child abuse, which are grounded in duties of care and protection (Kaplan, 2005).One issue which troubles some clinical therapists is a statutory obligation to report consensual sexual relationships that adolescents are engaged in with adults irrespective of whether they are clinically judged to be abusive, because they can be framed in many child protection statutes or guidance as constituting abuse. (Ellis, 2009). There are some similarities between confidentiality and counseling minors in both school and clinical settings. One similarity is that in both settings counselors must follow the same ethical guidelines for breaching confidentiality.Breaching confidentiality is allowed by ethical codes in special or extreme circumstances (Lazovsky, 2008). In both settings counselors must carefully deliberate over the circumstances that are presented to them by the minor client in the counseling sessions. The counselor should then decide whether or not to breach confidentiality. This ethical dilemma is a difficult issue that many co unselors are faced with in both clinical and school settings.Another similarity between counseling minors in both school and clinical settings is that counselors must often consult with other staff members in both settings for the benefit of the children that they serve. It is important for counselors to educate other non-mental health staff members that they must keep confidential any personal information they learn about children as a result of their professional positions (Rehmley & Herley, 2010). If any information were to be disclosed outside of the school or clinical settings, it could be lead to grounds for a lawsuit.There are some differences between confidentiality and counseling minors in both school and clinical settings as well. One difference is that counselors in clinical settings encounter fewer ethical issues around confidentiality and minors because parents usually have given legal consent for the counselor to work with the client. However in the school setting, Reh mley & Herley (2010) state that the counselor often does not have a legal obligation to obtain parental permission before counseling students unless there is a federal or state statute to the contrary.Another difference between confidentiality and minors in the school and clinical setting is in the clinical setting the counseling process may be limited to the counselor, the minor client and the parents. Most minor clients who are placed in clinical treatment facilities will be unable to make crucial decisions for themselves. The privilege of informed consent will be given to the parent and the parent will operate in the child’s best interests (Glosoff & Pate, 2002). Counselors in both clinical and school settings find the ethical and legal issues of confidentiality difficult because there are constant conflicts between the law and ethics.One issue that counselors find causes tension between law and ethics is whether children have the right to enter into a counseling relations hip without parental consent. According to Rehmley & Herley (2010), every child has a moral right to privacy in the counseling relationship. Kaplan (2005) believes that children should have the same rights to confidentiality as adult clients. However, counselors constantly struggle between the ethical obligation of privacy to their minor clients and their legal obligation to the parents of the same minor clients to keep their child protected and safe.There are some ways that counselors are able to deal with these ethical and legal dilemmas regarding confidentiality and minors. One recommendation that was made by Iyer, Baxter-McGregor & Connor (2010) is to develop and maintain a strong informed consent policy. Informed consent is a process that is an ongoing process and should begin before the counseling process begins. According to Glosoff & Pate (2002), it is beneficial in both settings to develop a written informed consent policy so that it can be given to parents and anyone else who is involved in the clients counseling process.This is beneficial because all parties involved in the process will know about confidentiality and also what to expect. Another recommendation that was suggested by Iyer, Baxter-McGregor & Connor (2010) is to educate all members that are involved in the minor client’s counseling process about the importance of confidentiality. In this way there will be a reduction in the likelihood of difficult situations posed by ethical dilemmas developing in the first place. An explanation of confidentiality would be a great addition to an orientation to parents, teachers or other non-mental health professionals.They would know what to expect with regards to confidentiality in counseling sessions with minors. Another suggestion that was discussed in the literature in relation to ethical and legal dilemmas regarding confidentiality and minors is to send out educational newsletters and emails. This suggestion takes a proactive stance towards the ethical and legal issue of confidentiality and minors and it helps to avoid the possible ethical dilemma before it occurs (Glosoff &Pate, 2002).Some possible items that could be included in these newsletters or emails may be a definition of confidentiality, one’s informed consent policy, state regulations or law’s regarding confidentiality and a summary of ASCA’s and ACA’s ethics statements for counselors. Lastly, another suggestion that was discussed in the literature in relation to ethical and legal dilemmas regarding confidentiality and minors is for counselors to develop a strong network of professionals that counselors can confide in and ask advice when they encounter an ethical dilemma (Iyer, Baxter-McGregor & Connor 2010; Glosoff & Pate, 2002).This network may include school psychologists, local psychologists, counseling professionals and any who works within a similar field. According to Iyer, Baxter-McGregor & Connor (2010), a counselor may u se a common framework such Kitchener’s five moral principles regarding ethical decision making. The five moral principal’s are autonomy, justice (fairness), beneficence (doing good), non-maleficence (doing no harm) and fidelity (keeping promises).Another ethical decision making model that can be followed is by Forester-Miller and Davis which is to 1) Identify the problem, 2) Apply one’s professional code of ethics, 3) Determine the nature and decisions of the dilemma, 4) Generate potential courses of action, 5) Consider the potential consequences of all options and choose a course of action 6) Evaluate the selected course of action and 7) Implement the course of action. Counselors in both clinical and school setting have a tremendous amount of responsibility to uphold when they are counseling minors.The ethical and legal issues that arise for this group can sometimes differ and also be contradictory to each other. It is the responsibility of the counselors to pr epare themselves and all parties involved in the counseling process with the knowledge that is necessary in regards to confidentiality and minors. In many cases when the counselor is left to choose the right course of action in regards to confidentiality, the outcome will inevitable benefit the client. References American Counseling Association. (2005). Code of ethics and standards of practice (Rev. ed. ) Alexandria, VA: Author.American School Counselor Association. (2010). Ethical standards for school counselors. Retrieved from http://www. schoolcounselor. org/content. asp? contentid=17 Barnett, J. E. (2008). The ethical practice of psychotherapy: Easily within our reach. Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 64(5), 569-575. doi:10. 1002/jclp. 20473 Ellis, E. M. (2009). Should a psychotherapist be compelled to release an adolescent’s treatment records to a parent in a contested custody case?. Professional Psychology: Research And Practice, 40(6), 557-563. doi:10. 1037/a0017419 Glo soff, H. L. , & Pate, R. r. (2002).Privacy and confidentiality in school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 6(1), 20-27. Iyer, N. N. , Baxter-McGregor, J. & Connor, A. R. (2010). Ethical dilemmas for the school counselor: balancing student confidentiality and parents’ right to know. New York State School Counselor Association, 7(2), 17-22. Kaplan, A. I. (2005). Therapist-Patient Privilege: Who Owns the Privilege?. Journal Of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 11(1/2), 135-143. doi:10. 1300/J146v11n0111 Lazovsky, R. (2008). Maintaining confidentiality with minors: Dilemmas of school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 11(5), 335-346. oi:10. 5330/PSC. n. 2010-11. 335 Mitchell, C. W. , Disque, J. , & Robertson, P. (2002). When parents want to know: Responding to parental demands for confidential information. Professional School Counseling, 6(2), 156-161. Rehmley, T. P. , & Herlihy, B. (2010). Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues in Counseling. Merrill; New Yor k. Stone, C. , & Isaacs, M. L. (2003). Confidentiality with minors: The need for policy to promote and protect. The Journal Of Educational Research, 96(3), 140-150. doi:10. 1080/00220670309598802 Confidentiality and Minors By Neferteria Thomas

A Reflection of Faith Essay

A Reflection of Faith As I reflect upon my faith journey, I realize that like so many other â€Å"cradle Catholics,† I had become complacent. I was raised in a predominantly Catholic nation, by an Anglican mother and Catholic father. After being dutifully baptized into the church, I was set upon my path as any ‘good Catholic† should. Even though I attended Catholic girls’ school, my early days of catechesis consisted of Mass and Sunday school more as a ritual than an integral part of living my faith. I performed the rites of First Holy Communion and confession with no real understanding of my commitment and responsibilities. Confirmation was a spiritual fiasco, from which I almost did not recover. My parents did their best to provide a religious foundation for my siblings and me. In retrospect, they were probably ill-equipped to do so. My higher education and pursuit of my vocation have sometimes made it difficult for me to accept and conform to some simple dogmas of the church. I hold many strong personal views on many issues and have had considerable challenges applying the dogma to my personal life. I have always believed that God has a purpose for us all; my purpose was rather hazy until about seven or eight years ago. The illness and death of my mother at age 56, was a tremendous catalyst in my faith journey. I realized that in my vocational quest, I was not following Christ’s plan, moreover, I was trying to fit Christ into my plans. Consequently, my fervent observation of the Holy Days, abstinence form meat of Fridays in the early days, and unending serviced to my parish in the form of Eucharistic minister, Sacristan, and Catechist, were spiritually void. Once I truly succumbed to Christ and sought His path, my commitment to discipleship was fortified. When God provided me the privilege to serve at St. John, He facilitated a means for me to further enhance my own faith, and to impact that of students on a daily basis. This quote from 1 Timothy 4:12 â€Å"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe;† allowed me to embrace my vocation and truly see its gifts. I am called to live out my vocation in the classroom and positively communicate the doctrines of our faith. This, as well as additional Catechesis has taken my understanding of the â€Å"universal† church to new levels. I love each and every one of my students for his or her uniqueness and ability to motivate me to be the best example of Christ that I am able. I no longer focus on my personal flaws or on the â€Å"flaws† I once perceived in the dogma; but on each minor success I gain in the Christian values of my students. Now that my role in Catholic education has come full circle, I feel very blessed to be part of such a rich tradition of faith and discipleship. I passionately believe in my purpose as a Catechist and I know that God will continue to strengthen me as I continue to walk His path.

Competitive markets, monopolies, oligopolies as types of markets Essay

Competitive markets, monopolies, oligopolies as types of markets structures - Essay Example This means that the seller has a lot of authority and control over the market conditions such as price and supply. Some of the characteristics of monopolistic market structure include little quantity or absence of substitute products, large barriers to market entry, little or no competition, while seller has a great authority over market conditions, prices are determined by the seller, insignificant difference exists between the industry and firm. Additionally, the demand curve for monopolistic markets is downward sloping, which simply means the seller can sell less at a higher price, or vice versa (Nicholson, & Snyder, 2008, p. 491). Unlike in competitive markets, monopolistic markets have the upper hand in setting market prices. Since the firms or the sellers have little to worry about competitors, they can set the prices above the marginal costs. They can set the prices above the normal profits as would be in the case of competitive markets. Additionally, the seller can influence supply, thereby determining the price by either selling more at a lower price or selling less at a higher price. The maximum possible price will be where marginal cost, marginal revenue, and demand curve intersect. Although monopolies can maximize profits in several ways, the output is largely determined by marginal cost and marginal revenue. The seller will continue increasing the output, as long as marginal costs are lower than marginal revenue. The maximum profit will be realized when the difference between marginal revenue and marginal cost is maximum. Since the seller is the price determinant, it is possible to regulate the output such that the profit obtained is maximized when other market conditions are considered. Monopoly markets have many market entry barriers as compared... It is evidently clear from the discussion that competitive markets are characterized by unlimited number of buyers and sellers, all trading on the same or similar commodity in a manner that the prices of the commodity are largely determined by the market forces. Therefore, a single individual or a small fraction of the buyers or sellers has little or no impact upon the price. Once the prevailing market forces set the price, buyers or sellers have no option but to go with the offered prices. Monopoly type of market structure refers to a market whereby there is little or no competition on the offered commodity. This means that the seller has a lot of authority and control over the market conditions such as price and supply. Some of the characteristics of monopolistic market structure include little quantity or absence of substitute products, large barriers to market entry, little or no competition, while seller has a great authority over market conditions, prices are determined by the seller, insignificant difference exists between the industry and firm. Oligopoly is a market structure whereby few sellers dominate the market. Unlike in monopoly form of market structure, oligopoly players can hardly make independent decisions since the other market players will react in response. Therefore, the decisions of one player are under the influence of the others. Few large firms characterize the market structure, each firm is appreciably large in comparison to the overall market, similar or close substitute products, and large barriers to entry.

Retirement in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Retirement in America - Essay Example 6). The point where an individual discontinues his employment completely, which is called retirement, makes one entitled for private or public pension benefits and the notion of retirement in America has changed over the years. In a historical survey of retirement in America, one comes to recognize that the notion of retirement assumed a great impact on America after World War II and it has undergone essential changes ever since. Unlike the earlier days, there is an emergent notion in America today that "retirement is the beginning of a new and busy chapter of life, a time for continued learning and development, skill building, forming new and purposeful relationships, and giving back to the community Moreover, retirement is 'a time to begin a new chapter' in life and that, just beyond traveling, volunteering is what older adults look forward to most during this new stage of their life" (Johnson, 2003, p. vi). Therefore, the notion of retirement in America has changed over the years and the well-being of individuals after retirement is considered as one of the major responsibilities of the state and the government. Significantly, in the contemporary life of the Americans, retirement in America can effectively offer one of the best periods of life through careful and sensible planning. In this paper, a reflective analysis of retirement in America is offered in order to determine how it has changed from the past, how it will change in the future, which all are the major organizations doing to retirement plans for their employees, and whether employees can retire in America at 62, 67, or will they need to be older etc. Retirement in America In the United States, retirement has been a topic of constant changes over the past several decades - including the consequent attitudes of the people towards retirement, the provisions by the law, Social Security issues, the age of retirement, and other crucial aspects concerning retirement. One of the major responsibilities of the social security programs in America has been to ensure that the individuals who have dedicated their service and potential to the growth of the society are offered the best security programs during their period of old age. Social security has traditionally combined the goals of earnings replacement and income maintenance and the American Social Security system has played a major role in financing retirement. "Despite much criticism, the American Social Security system works fairly well, but only if you consider Social Security payments a handy supplement to other sources of retirement income. Many people who were young when the Social Security system bega n in the 1930's placed too much reliance on it and were forced into difficult financial circumstances in their old age because of inflation. By the 1970's the government began a comprehensive program of tax incentives for various other retirement funds. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA's), Keogh Plans, and 401(K) plans are some examples." (Financing Retirement, 2007). Therefore, the American Social Security system has contributed heavily to the great changes that have taken place in retirement in America and it is possible that further changes in retirement take place in the future. In America, the rise of retirement started more than a century ago, unlike the commonly conceived notion that it was with

Sigmund Freud and Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sigmund Freud and Sexuality - Essay Example Seduction theory In one of Sigmund Freud lectures he talked about ‘ The Aetiology of Hysteria’, in this theory, Sigmund Freud used information that he had collected from 18 individuals where he concluded that sexual abuses in childhood days caused people to have Hysteria (Freud, Whiteside & Freud 2007 p87). This theory did not last for a long time and he withdrew it and formed another one, which attributed hysteria and other neuroses and illnesses to sexual fantasies. His knowledge about women in those times was very limited however, he contributed a lot as men of those times thought women do not to harbour any sexual desires leave alone acknowledging that sexual fantasies caused hysteria in women. When Freud was writing these theories, the society’s attitude toward women was that classified them as a weaker sex and they were only important as parents and relatives, their main function was procreation (Bloom & Hobby 2009 p56), Some critics of Sigmund Freud theorie s were his fellow psychoanalysts who did not support his theory of penis envy as a primary female reaction rather as a secondary reaction. Freud, refused to agree with them and insisted on penis envy as a primary female reaction, other psychoanalysts like Jacques Lacan, took up Freud’s theory and developed it in what he called the penisneid in the unconscious of women. Juliet Mitchell supported Freud’s idea of penis envy, in which man is not the basis, but on the phallus, this opened the field of phallogocentrism to debate (Tong, 2009 p15). Feminists have also criticized Freud’s view where they have argued that penis envy and the whole idea of psychoanalysis uses...In one of Sigmund Freud lectures he talked about ‘ The Aetiology of Hysteria’, in this theory, Sigmund Freud used information that he had collected from 18 individuals where he concluded that sexual abuses in childhood days caused people to have Hysteria (Freud, Whiteside & Freud 2007 p87 ). This theory did not last for a long time and he withdrew it and formed another one, which attributed hysteria and other neuroses and illnesses to sexual fantasies. His knowledge about women in those times was very limited however, he contributed a lot as men of those times thought women do not to harbour any sexual desires leave alone acknowledging that sexual fantasies caused hysteria in women. When Freud was writing these theories, the society’s attitude toward women was that classified them as a weaker sex and they were only important as parents and relatives, their main function was procreation (Bloom & Hobby 2009 p56), Some critics of Sigmund Freud theories were his fellow psychoanalysts who did not support his theory of penis envy as a primary female reaction rather as a secondary reaction. Freud, refused to agree with them and insisted on penis envy as a primary female reaction, other psychoanalysts like Jacques Lacan, took up Freud’s theory and developed it in what he called the penisneid in the unconscious of women. Juliet Mitchell supported Freud’s idea of penis envy, in which man is not the basis, but on the phallus, this opened the field of phallogocentrism to debate (Tong, 2009 p15). Feminists have also criticized Freud’s view where they have argued that penis envy and the whole idea of psychoanalysis uses assumptions are anti feminist, patriarchal and misogynistic that tend to display women as less and deformed men (Freud, 2007 p32).

Enlightenment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Enlightenment - Essay Example Three modernists, Nietzsche, Freud, and Kafla, will show how personal feeling or interpretation dictated the modernist period in contrast to an enlightenment point of reality. Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher. Nietzsche promoted nihilism by proclaiming â€Å"God is dead† (Morgan, 36). Instead of interpreting God as an all powerful creator, Nietzsche believed God was used to create a society of morality without a purpose. While an individual from the enlightenment might reason that God and morality must exist for society to function smoothly, Nietzsche believed morality needed to be examined without the excuse of God. Nietzsche’s reality was looking into philosophical arguments that are still up for debate to this day. Unlike the reasoning of the enlightenment age, Nietzsche’s views are debatable. They cannot be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Franz Kafka was a modernist writer. He was born in Germany. Instead of using reasoning in reality, Kafka wrote stories that today would be considered science fiction. An example is The Metamorphosis. In this story, Kafka had a traveling salesman turn into a huge insect (Kafka). An Enlightenment influenced thinker would never think of this plot, because humans cannot turn into huge insects. Kafka would have probably responded to this line of thinking by replying â€Å"not yet†. Modernists believe that not everything can be explained by human reasoning yet. The modernist keeps theorizing until the day their thoughts are proven. However the modernist does not stop thinking just because they cannot prove their theories. Sigmund Freud was a German doctor that pioneered psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. He theorized that every human has an id, ego, and superego. Freud also laid out different theories about human development like the anal complex, Oedipus complex, penal envy, and so forth. All of these theories, at the time, could not be proven. Today they cannot be proven, but the

The universal Declaration of Human Rights and Teaching Essay

The universal Declaration of Human Rights and Teaching - Essay Example Victory for the allied forces precipitated the formation of a new body with world unity and respect for human rights as parts of its primary objectives. it was cardinal to this new world organization for there to be a "universal respect of human rights, sovereignty of the state in all other matters notwithstanding. 'Universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion."(article 55,United Nations Charter) depicts the importance attached to the human rights issue by the U.N. Consequently a commission on human rights was set up in 1946 to look into the various aspects of human rights. The product of the commissions work are the 30 articles contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.The first two articles focus on the equality of all humans in dignity and rights with entitlements to all rights and freedom contained in the declaration irrespective of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property ,birth or other status. Following suit from articles 3-21 are the civil and political rights also seen as fundamental rights of every human. A summary of articles 22-27 of the same document declares the economic, social and cultural rights of all human beings w herever they are found. Entitlement of all humans to social and international order with the motive of being recognized and respected as well as freedom of others and knowledge of an individuals civic obligations are spelt out in the last three articles of the document. U.D.H.R: Why Teachers should be familiar with its content The fact that adoption of the universal declaration of human rights was a major breakthrough in the issue of human rights cannot be overemphasized more so when you consider the fact that it is the foundation upon which all other documents and declarations are rooted. An in-depth knowledge of its content by teachers would inch England closer to the ultimate quest of universal for respect for human rights. As instructors in their various schools teachers in England are in daily contact with the people of diverse cultural and racial heritage that make up present day England. The intentions of the declaration was and still is to correct the societal ills of the Pre-UN era. This noble intention can be achieved by effective awareness and promotion campaigns with the vital tools of information and education highlighting the pivotal role teachers in England. When for instance racism is taken as a case study and making an assumption that given the literacy level in England, everybody has pas sed /is passing through one form of schooling or the other ,it would be right then to submit that teachers are capable of inculcating the values in the document condemning racist tendencies in their pupils/students and by extension tomorrows leaders, if and when they themselves are familiar with its content. It should also be remembered that England was a major constituent of the allied forces that brought the Nazi