I once told a friend that I needed to change my approach in constructing my salad at the salad bar at work. I explained that as I moved down the line, I often nibbled on something I had already placed in my bowl, before I paid for it. Maybe it was a beet slice, a piece of turkey or a pickle.

“Oh yes, it all starts with a pickle,” she said, laughing.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but it does start with that pickle. I knew how I felt about it, and I knew that on some level, I was stealing. Of course, it’s not like taking a $10 bill from the cashier, or sneaking out of the cafeteria without paying for my lunch. But it is still wrong.

What has recently transpired at Grosse Pointe South–with the Principal and one of the Assistant Principals–smacks of this; something relatively minor that results in a major issue and life-changing decisions.

It is my feeling–after reading many of the Patch stories and speaking with friends in the community, some of which have close ties to Grosse Pointe South–that these “adult images" were not pornography, but nevertheless unprofessional. I also understand that the investigation of these images may have been the result of a back-story that had nothing to do with the performance of these men in their duties with the school. Officials have said otherwise, however, denying it's related to any back story.

But guess what? They were e-mailing images that had nothing to do with their work at the school, on school time and with the computers paid for with our taxes. Personally, I don’t have a problem with much of this. Social networking–e-mail, Twitter, blogs, Facebook, etc.–is the new water cooler, and it’s how some workers regroup and get ready for their next batch of work.

But when you are working at a place that is publicly-owned or taxpayer-funded, you do not enjoy the same freedom. Your office goes beyond your four walls, or even those of the school. They encompass the entire community that pays your salary.

What is a shame is that these gentlemen have exceptional work records–they can point to projects they oversaw that benefit our community and hundreds or thousands of students over the years. They have worked, successfully, in their field for decades. Yet, it seems, careless decisions were their undoing.

We can all learn from this. If you want to be beyond reproach, then be beyond reproach. Practice exceptional ethics in the workplace. If someone is “out to get you” don’t give them any ammunition. The result will benefit everyone. You will know you are doing your job, the people who benefit from your good work will be satisfied and you will never give anyone a reason to question you or your ethics.