[An aside: I can hear the pseudo-integral folks complaining that doing so would be a manifestation of the Mean Green Meme, but I call bullshit on any such claims. The Green Meme has brought us ecological reform, feminism, racial equality laws, and so on - this is a long overdue and necessary development.]
The should be an international board of ethics for spiritual teachers. There are ethics groups for therapists, social workers, life coaches, psychiatrists, nurses, doctors, and so on. Yet spiritual teachers, who commit all variety of ethical violations on a regular basis without sanction, are not governed by any ethics codes.
I would propose an initial statement similar to the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics:
IntroductionMore to the point, or at least my point, is this:
Counselors encourage client growth and development in ways that foster the interest and welfare of clients and promote formation of healthy relationships. Counselors actively attempt to understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of the clients they serve. Counselors also explore their own cultural identities and howthese affect their values and beliefs about the counseling process. Counselors are encouraged to contribute to society by devoting a portion of their professional activity to services for which there is little or no financial return (pro bono publico).
A.1. Welfare of Those Served by Counselors
A.1.a. Primary Responsibility
The primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity and to promote the welfare of clients.
A.4. Avoiding Harm and Imposing ValuesAll of these are areas that apply equally well to spiritual teachers as well as therapists. And in many ways, the relationship between a teacher and student might even be more prone to violations than a therapist-client relationship.
A.4.a. Avoiding Harm
Counselors act to avoid harming their clients, trainees, and research participants and to minimize or to remedy unavoidable or unanticipated harm.
A.4.b. Personal Values
Counselors are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and avoid imposing values that goals. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees, and research participants.
A.5. Roles and Relationships With Clients
(See F.3., F.10., G.3.)
A.5.a. Current Clients
Sexual or romantic counselor–client interactions or relationships with current clients, their romantic partners, or their family members are prohibited.
A.5.b. Former Clients
Sexual or romantic counselor–client interactions or relationships with former clients, their romantic partners, or their family members are prohibited for a period of 5 years following the last professional contact. Counselors, before engaging in sexual or romantic interactions or relationships with clients, their romantic partners, or client family members after 5 years following the last professional contact, demonstrate forethought and document (in written form) whether the interactions or relationship can be viewed as exploitive in some way and/or whether there is still potential to harm the former client; in cases of potential exploitation and/or harm, the counselor avoids entering such an interaction or relationship.
A.5.c. Nonprofessional Interactions or Relationships (Other Than Sexual or RomanticInteractions or Relationships)
Counselor–client nonprofessional relationships with clients, former clients, their romantic partners, or their family members should be avoided, except when the interaction is potentially beneficial to the client. (See A.5.d.)
When someone gives themselves over to to a teacher or guru, one expects to be held in a spirit of growth, not taken advantage of sexually or financially. Yet many teachers use this relationship to have sexual relations with students, or get financial assistance from students. I am not going to name names here, but two very prominent members of the integral inner circle are guilty of these violations and have not been sanctioned in any way.
A teacher should NEVER, under any circumstances, be in a sexual or romantic relationship with students. It is not illegal (although it is for therapists), but it is incredibly unethical and irresponsible.
Someone who violates the ethical code would be fined and suspended from teaching - and a database would be kept of those who commit violations so that future students will be able to check on the ethical record of prospective teachers.
This blind eye needs to be made to see - for the benefit of all spiritual teachers and the safety and best interest of students.
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8 comments:
Of course if such a code were implemented, certain teachers might have to forgo largess from the Frederick Lenz Foundation, which sees fit to still refer to Lenz as though he were some kind of legit teacher of Buddhism.
"A teacher should NEVER, under any circumstances, be in a sexual or romantic relationship with students. It is not illegal (although it is for therapists), but it is incredibly unethical and irresponsible."
What kind of teachers are you talking about here? Spiritual teachers only, or all kinds of teachers?
I'm a tango teacher, would that make it unethical for me to have a sexual relationship with one of my students?
I agree that all spiritual teachers should have an ethical code, just like doctors and therapists do.
Sounds like a good idea to me.
Pelle,
Spiritual teachers, like therapists, have an unusual amount of sway with students - this is what I am talking about. The dual relationship is always wrong in this case. There is one prominent example in the integral community, who should never be allowed to have primate female students ever - we all know who that is.
Tango teachers? Don't know, but in general I think whenever the primary relationship has a power imbalance (teacher/student) bad things are apt to happen when that relationship goes somewhere else.
Peace,
Bill
I think the field of spirituality should be reserved for adults who've learned to take responsibility for themselves.
If they are not yet there and still need a babysitter, they are in need of therapy and are not mature enough to take on a spiritual practice.
The compulsion to regulate and control everything, and to make everything safe, has something neurotic to it.
Transparency and open information should be enough for people to get the criteria to decide for or against a teacher for themselves.
René
Brad Warner, in his latest book, defends his 'right' to date his students. Where else should he meet a date?
Wouldn't it be possible to overcome the power imbalance after getting to know each other very well?
Luc
Luc,
If Brad is an ethical teacher, than dating his students would be out of bounds. He can meet women anywhere, it's not like he is a monastic. Why not meet women like most men do? In yoga classes, the grocery store, a coffee shop, whatever?
Why should he need to have relationships with students who have come to him to learn the dharma, not to be his pool of possible partners?
The power imbalance between teacher and student, especially in Buddhism, is necessary and cannot be overcome - it's a part of the teacher/student dynamic and it should be.
Peace,
Bill
Rene,
The compulsion to regulate and control everything, and to make everything safe, has something neurotic to it.
Maybe, but the real problem is that so many teachers have real knowledge to share, but get caught up in their ego and use their power with students to take advantage of them.
Yes, the student should know better. But the teacher should also not twist their power to manipulate and use students - and if they do, just like therapists who do so, there should be a sanction.
I know of at least one teacher who has repeatedly misused his power as a teacher to sleep with students, and has hurt many people in doing so - yet he continues to teach with NO sanctions, and he has private students (likely including women). He should be barred from teaching entirely.
I would love for there to be transparency, but there isn't - violations are often settled out of court, or do not rise to the level of illegality, so there is no clear public record of teachers who violate ethical behavior.
Peace,
Bill
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