Ethics Scenario #62: Harristown Holocaust Education Center

62. Fred is the executive director of the Harristown Holocaust Education Center. As part of his job, Fred authors a teachers’ guide for use in high schools so teachers have the material they need to educate their students about the Holocaust. Fred has spent more than two years preparing these materials, and has freely used all resources at his disposal, including his staff for research, and consultants hired by the Center. He has an idea to submit the Guide, with minor modifications, to a commercial publisher, who accepts the manuscript. Fred directs that the royalties be sent to him rather than to the Center, justifying that he is the author of the work, and thus is entitled to all of the royalties.

a. Is Fred’s behavior ethical?