Ethical Dilemmas for the School Counselor: Balancing Student Confidentiality and Parents’ Right to Know

Professional School Counselors have a variety of roles and responsibilities to students, teachers, parents, and administrators. School counselors collaborate with both the students and other stakeholders – in this case, usually parents and teachers. Consultation and collaboration with stakeholders can be carried out through team meetings or child study teams, with all relevant parties present. Such gatherings, while beneficial to everyone involved, can potentially bring about ethical dilemmas for school counselors. This article examines the function of child study teams, the counselor’s role as consultant within the team, and what ethical issues might arise in this role. Recommendations for avoiding and resolving such potential dilemmas are provided