This Week: Ethics in the News

Highlights from some of the week's top ethics news stories.



Health and Science
The saga continues for over a dozen Le Roy High School girls who have been coping with movement disorders since the Fall of 2011. The illness is categorized as a conversion disorder because the symptoms are mirrored among peers. It is also thought to be psychological in nature. There are contentions as to proper diagnosis and treatment.
read more......NYT Magazine - What Happened to the Girls in Le Roy
watch interviews.......NBC News - Mystery Illness

World Politics and Art
Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, who is now in hiding outside of Uganda, has recently been made the star of a documentary film. The documentarians are part of an activist group called the Invisible Children. The group has previously spent time in Uganda and exposed the widespread use of child soldiers. They have now created a celebrity endorsed film that is rapidly spreading through social media outlets and is meant to create a publicity storm that would lead to Kony's downfall.
read more support of the film......Forbes - KONY 2012 Illustrates How Star Power Can Save the World
read more criticism of the film......NYT - Uganda Tries to Counter Harsh Image in Web Video
watch the film....KONY 2012

Source: The Atlantic

Education
Public schools in Utah may soon ban sex education. According to a new law passed this week, Utah schools could completely cut out any discussions about sex, homosexuality, and contraception options including abstinence. The bill has been vetoed by Governor Gary Herbert but sets a precedent for sex education across the country.
read more......Chicago Tribune - Utah Governor Vetoes Bill to Curb Sex Education
read a perspective from Utah.....Salt Lake Tribune - In Utah, Will Restricting Sex Ed Hurt or Help Teen Health?

Environment
Kiribati, one of the world's most impoverished nations, is under threat of massive flooding due to rising sea levels. The government has decided to purchase 6,000 acres on the main island of neighboring Fiji. The island, which is completely dependent on other nations, sees this move as a last resort.
read more......BBC - Kiribati Mulls Fiji Land Purchase in Battle Against Sea

Kiribati Sea Levels, London Telegraph