CODE OF ETHICS

We, the members of MUSIC THEACHERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, having dedicated ourselves to the advancement of music and the growth of young musicians, subscribe to the following principles of ethical practice as standards of processional conduct:

  1. It shall be the obligation of every member to maintain the highest standards of moral and processional conduct, and personal integrity.
  2. In the area of studio music teaching:
    • Teachers will refrain from exploiting the student primarily for the teacher’s own prestige.
    • Teachers will cooperate in the support of public education and encourage students to participate in school ensembles and activities.
    • Teachers, if affiliated with the public school in instructional capacity, will conform to the policies of the school and cooperate with the administration.
  3. In the area of public school and college music teaching:
    • Teachers will not show partiality when advising those seeking guidance in selecting a private teacher, but will, if requested, suggest the names of two or more private teachers in the community, the final choice to be made by parent and student.
    • Teachers will secure advance approval from the properly constituted authorities for the use of a cost-free room in a publicly owned building for the purpose of teaching privately for personal monetary gain.
    • Teachers will, after a period of basic music instruction through groups of classes, encourage qualified students to study with private teachers so the students’ abilities can be more thoroughly developed.
    • When serving for limited time as an interim instructor of a student from a private studio, teachers will employ the utmost tact in order to avoid undermining the instruction of the student’s regular teacher.
  4. In the areas of cooperative activity:
    • Teachers will refrain from discussing with parents or students the work of another teacher in such a way as to injure the professional reputation of that teacher.
    • Teachers will not claim sole credit for the achievement of students under cooperative or individual instruction, if such claims shall imply discredit upon a previously or presently cooperating teacher.
    • Teachers will not claim credit for the achievement of any student until the student has studied with that teacher for a term of not less than six months.
    • Teachers will reply upon their professional qualities to attract students and will avoid using their positions in the community, churches or schools as pressure on students to study with them.
    • Teachers will not represent themselves as a “pupil of” or “student of” any teacher unless they have completed a continuous course of three months study.
    • Teachers will not make exaggerated claims or misleading statements in any printed matter: advertising copy will be dignified, strictly truthful, and representative of the art of music and its responsibility to the community.
  5. It shall be the duty of every member to report to the respective national or state executive boards the violation of any article of this code, supported by written evidence of such unethical conduct.