Letter

[Catholic]

Suppose a teacher is asked to write a letter of recommendation for a student. Overall, the teacher does in fact recommend the student and has good things to say about him or her. Is the teacher morally obligated to include negative information as well?

 

[1ke]

Suppose a teacher is asked to write a letter of recommendation for a student. Overall, the teacher does in fact recommend the student and has good things to say about him or her. Is the teacher morally obligated to include negative information as well?

No. It’s a letter of recommendation. The purpose is to recommend.

If you cannot recommend them for whatever it is they are applying for without reservation, then *decline *to write a letter. But, don’t write a recommendation letter that torpedos them.

 

[Thomas63116]

I have sometimes seen forms for letters of recommendation that specifically ask the “recommender” to comment on both the strengths and weaknesses of a candidate for a particular position.

If that is what is requested, then I think one should give an honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the individual, while emphasisizng the ways in which his/her strengths make them well-suited for the position.