A Club Adviser’s Perk

Ethical Educator

Scenario:

The faculty adviser for her high school’s Diversity/Cultural Exchange Club has organized student trips to Europe through an educational travel company and recruited students, parents and chaperones for the annual overseas trips. The tour company enrolled the adviser in its rewards program as a group leader, giving her travel points and stipends based on the number of travelers she recruited. Over five years, the teacher received $5,530 in stipends and 4,516 in travel points from the tour company, redeeming the latter for airline tickets and a European vacation.

The school district’s business administrator is questioning whether the club adviser’s actions represent a conflict of interest.