Ethics Newsline®

A reader responds to Rushworth Kidder’s recent commentary, “Hunt Down a Perpetrator or Hold to a Principle: A High School’s Dilemma”:

I was in a similar situation many years ago. As a commercial airline pilot, I was flying a trip to Las Vegas. There were horrible delays during taxi out due to a radar outage. Getting to the departure runway took over an hour. Some of our first class passengers started partying early. I was told by one of the cabin crew that three people were exchanging a bag of white powder, and one by one were going into the lavatory, no flush, no running water, and louder and intoxicated when they emerged. At the point of taking the runway, I had to decide whether to take off or return to the gate and summon authorities.

Simple if indeed it was an illegal drug they were inhaling: There could be physiological difficulties and they might die if subjected to pressurization and altitude changes. So return to the gate. But what announcement do I make?

If I am honest, I say that we are returning to the gate because I suspect some of our passengers are using cocaine and might die if we take off and climb to altitude. [But if I do that] the evidence [could be] destroyed and the people who need the help might never get it.

I did make an announcement that we were returning to the gate to get more fuel. By the time we had returned to the gate, I did need more fuel, and the police removed the passengers “for questioning.” They were prosecuted, pleaded guilty, and got counseling along with community service.

With school violence there is no chance for error. Parents, superintendents, and principals cannot afford to wait and see if the rumor is true or false. They also must make sure that the possible offenders receive the help they need. To openly admit an investigation is in progress makes that difficult.

– Al Neil
Marengo, Illinois