The establishment of a close working relationship between teachers and students is central to the success of the education system. Since parents entrust their children to the education system, teachers have a responsibility to behave as a fiduciary in the best interest of the students and to establish and maintain a safe atmosphere for the learners to thrive. However, the closeness o of a relationship between an instructor and a student may challenge the professional distance that is required. A relationship between an instructor and a student becomes improper when feelings of respect and admiration become personal and strong. Under such conditions, the instructor violates his or her fiduciary responsibility.
In a fiduciary relationship, one individual accepts the confidence and trust of another person to act in the best interests of the latter. According to Hagenauer & Volet (2014), the parties in a fiduciary relationship are not equal because the fiduciary must act in good faith and for the benefit of the reliant party. Instructors are fiduciaries because students place their confidence and trust in them. However, a boundary exists in the relationship between a teacher and a student because former have the responsibility not to abuse the dependent elements that unavoidably develop. Considering the greater power of the instructor over the student, the latter is not able to provide truly informed consent. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the person in the powerful position to regulate the boundary between the two parties.
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It is because of this reason that sexual relationships between instructors and their students are inappropriate. Sexual relationships undermine the trust that the educational system is founded on since instructors have a professional responsibility. Central to the concept of professionalism is the recognition by individuals in positions of authority that there is a component of power in their relationships with students (Hagenauer & Volet, 2014). It is the obligation of instructors not to abuse power entrusted to them by having sexual relationships with students.
The mentoring relationship that develops between an instructor and a student requires appropriate boundaries. Mutuality tends to develop in such a relationship because the instructor also learns from their students. Instructors develop professionally from the questions they receive from their students, and their success reflects on the professional expertise of the teacher. The social interaction between instructors and students promotes the working relationship between the two parties. Instructors contribute to the personal development of their students by closely interacting with them. However, there is a need for separateness to avoid being compromised by their helping role because of the students’ helplessness or dependency (Hagenauer & Volet, 2014).
The need for proper boundaries in relationships between instructors and students is not limited to sexual contact alone. Other behaviors that reveal the development of a dual relationship or the misuse of a learner’s reliance and trust to satisfy one’s needs are also improper relations (Hagenauer & Volet, 2014). For example, an instructor may treat a student favorable not because of academic qualification, but due to a personal attraction. Furthermore, an instructor may reveal personal information that reflects his/her needs rather than the genuine interest in the student’s personal and professional growth. Therefore, boundaries are activities that may exploit the dependency of a student in many ways. More importantly, the development of a dual relationship makes it hard to assess and provide feedback objectively. Boundary violations contribute to continued dependency, which impedes the professional and personal development of the student. Therefore, proper boundaries must exist in relationships between instructors and teachers to avoid exploitation and dependence.
Reference
Hagenauer, G., and Volet, S. (2014). Teacher–student relationship at university: an important yet under-researched field. Oxford Review of Education; 40 (3).
