A Question of Ethics!

Can we have Blue Ribbon Youth and Blue Ribbon Projects?

▪Yes, with a lot of hard work and commitment to do what is Right!

▪We must always keep our focus on the right thing! – Youth

Cheating

▪Cheated during a school test at least once:

- Middle School - 54% - High School - 70%

▪ At least once, refused to cheat even though others were cheating: 73%

Students who have:

Stealing

▪Stolen something from a store at least once: - Middle School - 31% - High School - 47%

▪Stolen something from a parent at least once: - Middle School - 24% - High School - 31%

▪Stolen something from a friend at least once: - Middle School - 23% - High School - 25%

Students who have:

Lying

▪Lied to a parent at least once: - Middle School - 88% -High School - 92%

▪Lied to a teacher at least once: - Middle School - 70% -High School - 82%

Students who have:

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▪335th Judicial District Court Action - June 1, 1999 – The “win at any cost” attitude has resulted in probated sentences for two Aqua Dulce residents involved in a scheme to show a pig in San Angelo that had been “sifted” from the Houston Livestock Show.

NEWS HEADLINES

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▪“4-H Club Advisor Indicted in Steer Tampering Case” – Circleville, Ohio (1995) – Ohio Department of Agriculture Investigators said urine tests on the fair’s grand champion and reserve grand champion steers revealed they had been treated with chlorpromazine, an oral tranquilizer.

NEWS HEADLINES

EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA!▪“Livestock Shows Plagued by Cheating” - The

Wall Street Journal, Texas Journal (1996) – Until the recent commotion, Matthew Stork’s father never thought that occasionally injecting Lasix into a pig was cheating. But Matthew confesses he sometimes felt a little quilty about taking the easy way out, knowing that the other kids had worked hard to slim down their pigs.

NEWS HEADLINES

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▪“In Animal Husbandry Contests, Cheating Spreads” - San Antonio Express News (1996) – Since the 1980's, the soaring amounts in winners’ purses - which can range from several thousand dollars to $500,000 - have given rise to many ways to cheat: from dye jobs to cosmetic surgery, from hiring professional groomers to injection of vegetable oil or saline solution for smoothing out flabby skin.

NEWS HEADLINES

Learning by Example

▪Youth do not automatically develop good moral character; therefore, conscientious efforts must be made to help young people develop the values and abilities necessary for moral decision making and conduct.

Ethics

▪Standards of duty and virtue that indicate how we should behave.

Two Aspects for Ethics

▪Ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil and propriety from impropriety.

▪Commitment to do what is right, regardless of temptations and pressures to do otherwise.

Character is ethics in actions.

▪Knowing the difference between right and wrong and always trying to do what is right.

▪Doing the right thing for the right reason.

What is Considered Unethical Behavior at Livestock Shows?

▪Use of illegal drugs▪Violation of ownership requirements▪Phenotypically alter the appearance of an

animal▪Misrepresenting the age of an animal▪Use of tranquilizers, sedatives, or depressants▪Injection or insertion of foreign materials

What is Considered Unethical Behavior at Livestock Shows?▪Use of inhamane fitting, showing, and/or

hauling practices▪Interference with the judge and/or show

officials▪Violation of any rule governing the livestock

show

Ethics is Critically Important to OUR 4-H Youth Development Program

Ethics Should be Critically Important to YOU!