Why does society hold teachers to higher standards of moral and ethical behavior?
Parents trust teachers to take care of their children up to 8 hours a day, five days a week. Teaching is a job of great responsibility.
We expect police officers to follow the law--to see them break the law is an outrage. Similarly, we are concerned when we see people in jobs of power and great influence abusing their power. Example: abuse and clergy.
We teach students lessons. Many of these initial lessons in early grade school are simple life lessons and etiquette. Teachers must be good models for their students. A teacher will be most successful in teaching students if he or she practices what they preach.
Teachers have the power to directly affect students for life. We always hope that a teacher will positively affect a child. This is why society expects a teacher to follow the rules that they teach.
A teacher should be a positive role model at all times. Of course, teachers are human..and will make mistakes from time to time. To expect perfection from teachers is an unrealistic expectation.