shirleytse
Aug 29, 2009
Undergraduate / Ethical dilemma or risk - "Money solves all problems" [19]
Evaluate a significant risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and discuss its impact on you.
Money solves all problems. Whoever came up with this saying couldn't have been more wrong.
On the first day of my freshman year, I sat in Global class, dazing off as the teacher went through the same rituals and explained the rules I had heard at least 10 times that day. The girl next to me tapped my shoulder and introduced herself. She told me she was working at a day care center and her boss had asked her to help hire another person all summer. I jumped at the opportunity, knowing I needed the money more than ever. My mom had been struggling to pay all the bills and put food on the table at the same time. I knew that with the additional income; I would be able to take some of the burden off her shoulders. At the end of the day, my new friend brought me to the day care and I began my first day at work.
After a couple of weeks, I began to feel right at home. The children greeted me each day affectionately with bright smiles and warm hugs. Everyone was buoyant; eager to claim my attention, sharing their toys and showing me how they had gotten each scab. It was not long before each child claimed its special place in my heart. The end of the day was the hardest part, parting with the children with only the thought of knowing I would come back to those adorable faces to comfort me.
During one of their naptimes, a sobbing child was pulled aside by a teacher. Worried, I went to check on her. To my horror, I found the teacher disciplining the child. I watched as the child cried in pain, uselessly trying to avoid each strike. I quickly stepped between them and demanded an explanation. The teacher reasoned that if the child were disciplined, she would learn not to cry in inappropriate times such as now. I was shocked by the teacher's drastic measures to such an insignificant act such as this. I threatened to call the authorities on her. She, in turn, threatened to fire me. God knew how much I needed this job, and so I relented.
That day, I went home with a guilty conscience. I was disgusted with both the teacher and myself. How could anyone bear to hurt such an innocent child? More importantly, how could I have stepped aside and let it happen? I felt sick to my stomach but I could find no solution that would solve both problems. So I returned each day and silently watched as the punishments continued. I could confide in no one, fearing they would only make matters worse.
I grew more depressed as the guilt gnawed its way through me, so that soon I was just an empty shell. I was unable to concentrate on schoolwork and found no interest in my friends. To make matters worse, our rent was raised giving both my mom and I more pressure. I felt more trapped than ever. Eventually, my teachers contacted my mom about my grades. She demanded to know what was going on but I could not tell her. Instead, I suffered the chastisement silently.
While I was at school, my mom went through my drawers till she found my diary. In it, she found out about the child abuse that was occurring at the day care. Although I was furious that she had gone through my belongings and invaded my privacy, I was secretly glad that I no longer had to deal with it alone. I finally told her that I could not risk losing the job with all the payments we had to deal with. She, in turn, asked me to be in the parents' position. Would I want my child to be physically and emotionally scarred because of a worker's selfishness? It was then that I realized I had to do. That night I called the police and explained my situation. The minute I hung up the phone, I felt like a new person. When I arrived to work the next day, I found the teacher in handcuffs being led away. I apologized to all the children and all the parents for not reporting the child abuser until now. The day care center was closed down although I still baby-sit some of the kids.
Max words: 500
Words here: 729
Any way to shorten it? And criticism would be most welcome
Evaluate a significant risk you have taken or ethical dilemma you have faced and discuss its impact on you.
Money solves all problems. Whoever came up with this saying couldn't have been more wrong.
On the first day of my freshman year, I sat in Global class, dazing off as the teacher went through the same rituals and explained the rules I had heard at least 10 times that day. The girl next to me tapped my shoulder and introduced herself. She told me she was working at a day care center and her boss had asked her to help hire another person all summer. I jumped at the opportunity, knowing I needed the money more than ever. My mom had been struggling to pay all the bills and put food on the table at the same time. I knew that with the additional income; I would be able to take some of the burden off her shoulders. At the end of the day, my new friend brought me to the day care and I began my first day at work.
After a couple of weeks, I began to feel right at home. The children greeted me each day affectionately with bright smiles and warm hugs. Everyone was buoyant; eager to claim my attention, sharing their toys and showing me how they had gotten each scab. It was not long before each child claimed its special place in my heart. The end of the day was the hardest part, parting with the children with only the thought of knowing I would come back to those adorable faces to comfort me.
During one of their naptimes, a sobbing child was pulled aside by a teacher. Worried, I went to check on her. To my horror, I found the teacher disciplining the child. I watched as the child cried in pain, uselessly trying to avoid each strike. I quickly stepped between them and demanded an explanation. The teacher reasoned that if the child were disciplined, she would learn not to cry in inappropriate times such as now. I was shocked by the teacher's drastic measures to such an insignificant act such as this. I threatened to call the authorities on her. She, in turn, threatened to fire me. God knew how much I needed this job, and so I relented.
That day, I went home with a guilty conscience. I was disgusted with both the teacher and myself. How could anyone bear to hurt such an innocent child? More importantly, how could I have stepped aside and let it happen? I felt sick to my stomach but I could find no solution that would solve both problems. So I returned each day and silently watched as the punishments continued. I could confide in no one, fearing they would only make matters worse.
I grew more depressed as the guilt gnawed its way through me, so that soon I was just an empty shell. I was unable to concentrate on schoolwork and found no interest in my friends. To make matters worse, our rent was raised giving both my mom and I more pressure. I felt more trapped than ever. Eventually, my teachers contacted my mom about my grades. She demanded to know what was going on but I could not tell her. Instead, I suffered the chastisement silently.
While I was at school, my mom went through my drawers till she found my diary. In it, she found out about the child abuse that was occurring at the day care. Although I was furious that she had gone through my belongings and invaded my privacy, I was secretly glad that I no longer had to deal with it alone. I finally told her that I could not risk losing the job with all the payments we had to deal with. She, in turn, asked me to be in the parents' position. Would I want my child to be physically and emotionally scarred because of a worker's selfishness? It was then that I realized I had to do. That night I called the police and explained my situation. The minute I hung up the phone, I felt like a new person. When I arrived to work the next day, I found the teacher in handcuffs being led away. I apologized to all the children and all the parents for not reporting the child abuser until now. The day care center was closed down although I still baby-sit some of the kids.
Max words: 500
Words here: 729
Any way to shorten it? And criticism would be most welcome