Welcome to Education 404: Law and Ethics in Education. This course is designed to provide you with a broad understanding of the major legal and ethical principles and issues that relate to teaching in Canadian schools, and to have you gain a familiarity with the important ethical and legal dimensions that are likely to affect an educator’s professional life.

We live in an increasingly litigious society, where legal and doctrinal uncertainties abound. Teachers, students, and parents all have legal and ethical rights and obligations and responsibilities. When teachers and educational administrators know the relevant legal and ethical principles, they are more likely to act lawfully, reasonably, and preventively. In a liberal and pluralist democracy such as Canada’s, educators should not only should know, but also apply the concepts of liberty, equality, and rationality to a range of educational problems and issues.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which forms part of Canada’s Constitution, continues to have increased impact on many aspects of education.

Note: There are no prerequisites for Education 404.