The problems in this scenario are:

 1)  The interpreter has known the Deaf student for several years and also knows his parents well.

2)  Part of the interpreter’s role is to interpret, and another part of the interpreter’s role is to work with all of the students in support of the teacher by grading papers, and helping

with learning activities.

3)  The Deaf student has begun to display behavioral problems at school.

4)  The parents have asked the interpreter how their child is doing in school.

​

The interpreter could:

1)  Inform the Deaf student’s parents that she is unable to disclose their son’s school day

behavior information because it is confidential.

2)  Redirect the parent’s question on their son’s behavior back to the son for him to answer

himself.

3)  Withdraw from this assignment, and request that a new interpreter be put in her place for the remainder of the school year.

​

The interpreter should:

Withdraw from this assignment, and request that a new interpreter be put in her place for the remainder of the school year.

CPC Support:

• 3.2 “Decline assignments or withdraw from the interpreting profession when not

  competent due to physical, mental, or emotional factors.” The interpreter is involved in the consumer’s and his parents’ life outside of the interpreting situation, which makes her more likely to become emotionally involved, so she should withdraw herself from this particular assignment.

• 1.1 “Share assignment related information only on a confidential and “as needed” basis.” The interpreter cannot share her consumer’s school day behavioral information with his parents even though they are close friends because it is confidential.

• 3.3 “Avoid performing dual or conflicting roles in interdisciplinary or other settings.” The interpreter is performing both dual and conflicting roles. She is performing a dual role by acting as an interpreter and a teacher’s aid, and she is friends with her consumer’s parents, which creates conflict.

• 3.7 “Disclose to parties involved any actual of perceived conflicts of interest.” The interpreter has a duty and responsibility to make the teacher and hiring entity aware of the conflict that exists because of her relationship with the consumer’s parents.

• 6.2 “Honor professional commitments and terminate assignments only when fair and justifiable grounds exist.” The interpreter has fair and justifiable grounds to terminate this assignment due to her personal relationship with the consumer and his parents outside of the interpreting situation. Now that her consumer’s parents are requesting that she disclose confidential information, these grounds exist. 

 

This is the best decision because: 

The interpreter’s relationship with the consumer’s parents has become a more serious problem/conflict because they asked her to indulge confidential information regarding their son. The interpreter should remove herself from this situation in order for the consumer to receive the most accurate and equivalent interpretation possible that is free of conflicts as well as the performance of dual roles.

Short Term Impacts:

• Interpreter: Removes herself from performing both dual and conflicting roles.

• Deaf Consumer: Will have more independence because the conflict of interest that

  existed with the interpreter due to her close relationship with him and his parents will no

  longer exist.

• Hearing Consumer: Will learn what roles an interpreter should and should not be

  performing.

• Interpreting Community: Will maintain a standard that is supported and upheld by the

  CPCs.
   

Long Term Impacts:

• Interpreter: Will have more knowledge on which assignments they should and should not accept in order to prevent conflicts like this from occurring in the future.

• Deaf Consumer: Will be empowered by having a new interpreter who is free of conflicts and dual roles.

• Hearing Consumer: Will learn how to work with interpreters, and the roles that they should and should not be performing in order to allow her student to get the most equivalent access to information as possible.

• Interpreting Community: Will impress a standard that is supported and upheld by the Code of Professional Conduct.

 

Closing Statement:
If I were the interpreter in this situation, my answer may change based on new or

different information but I will always uphold the CPC.