conversation on You observed that your classmate slipped the Maths reference book in without declaring or issuing. With your partner discuss What the reasons for this action could be?
Answers
You can either use the following conversation or take help from it to make your own:
Student A: Hey where have you been all the while? I looked for you everywhere! Where were you?
Student B: I was at accounts office to deposit the fee! What happened? Why are you so excited and agitated?
Student A: I wanted to discuss something very serious, rather wanted your advice on the issue!
Student B: Sure! What is the matter?
Student A: You know in the break I went to library to have a book issued. Mehak was also there. She was standing near the reference books section. You won’t believe what I saw! She kind of nicked the Math reference book. She slipped the book into her bag quite dexterously…and then just acted as if she was looking at the books…and then quietly went out of the library!
Student B: That’s really very unethical! This is sheer thievery! She will be in thick soup now. She might be suspended! Did you inform the librarian madam?
Student A: Yes it is! I did not inform the madam! I first wanted your opinion on it. I was about to bring the matter to the library madam’s notice; but then I thought she is our classmate. We should help her, shouldn’t we?
Student B: You did the right thing. Now the question that arises is why did she do it?
Student A: If she needed it badly, she could have requested the subject teacher! The subject teacher would have helped her getting the book issued.
Student B: I agree with you. Since reference books are not issued at libraries. She must have needed it badly. But breaking a rule for personal use and adopting unethical means is highly objectionable. She must have found ethical way to meet her need.
Student A: I think we should talk to her. We must tell her she has done a wrong thing and must go to the librarian and tell her that she took it by mistake. Otherwise the CCTV camera recording in the library will reveal the truth, however smartly she must have pinched the book.
Student B: Since she is in our friend group, it is our moral responsibility to encourage her to do what is right. Hey, in case she refused to listen to us? What shall we do?
Student A: Don’t worry! We will threaten her that we will inform the librarian ourselves about the nicking of the book. We will also tell her about the CCTV camera thing.
Student B: Good idea! Let’s go to her house and have a word with her!
Follow up questions and answers:
a)What advice...? Would...accept...?
I would advise her to return the book to the library and have it issued through a teacher’s permission.
b) Would you involve the librarian...? Why?
First of all I would ask her/him to return the book quietly to the cupboard from where she nicked it. however, if she refused to do so, I might involve the librarian on the condition that she would not complain against her/him to the principal.