Is this a dilemma for educators?

[Woodznutz]

Education certainly makes people smarter, but does it make them better people? Based on what graduates go on to do in their lives this is certainly an open question. Do teachers feel any sense of social responsibility in regard to the morality of their graduates? Thoughts?

 

[jwoodie]

Education doesn't make people smarter, but it makes them feel they are smarter. Other than civic responsibilities, morals should be taught by parents and/or religious instruction.

P.S. What morals would you teach in schools?

 

[Woodznutz]

Education doesn't make people smarter, but it makes them feel they are smarter. Other than civic responsibilities, morals should be taught by parents and/or religious instruction.

P.S. What morals would you teach in schools?

If morals aren't taught by parents or church isn't it the duty of schools to step into the breach? There are morality lessons that schools can teach that parents and church wouldn't touch.

Civic responsibilities are morals (usually called 'mores').

 

[Canon Shooter]

Education doesn't guarantee that someone is smart. Some of the dumbest motherfuckers I've ever met have been among the most educated.

Also, my folks didn't send me to school to become moral, nor did I do that with my daughter. Those lessons are best taught at home...

 

[Unkotare]

If morals aren't taught by parents or church isn't it the duty of schools to step into the breach? ....

NO.

 

[Woodznutz]

Education doesn't guarantee that someone is smart. Some of the dumbest motherfuckers I've ever met have been among the most educated.

Also, my folks didn't send me to school to become moral, nor did I do that with my daughter. Those lessons are best taught at home...

Would you be upset if the school was teaching your daughter to be a good person?

 

[Woodznutz]

NO.

Do schools have policies regarding immoral behavior on school property?

 

[Unkotare]

Do schools have policies regarding immoral behavior on school property?

Such as...?

 

[Canon Shooter]

Would you be upset if the school was teaching your daughter to be a good person?

That would depend entirely on what the school's definition of "a good person" is.

As a rule, though, keep the education to readin', writin' and 'rithmatic. That we we don't even need to worry about it...

 

[Woodznutz]

Such as...?

Bullying, selling drugs, theft, assault. These seem to be common problems in our schools.

 

[Woodznutz]

Any teachers out there that would like to comment?

 

[Unkotare]

Bullying, selling drugs, theft, assault. These seem to be common problems in our schools.

Those things are all "against the rules," and almost all illegal.

 

[Unkotare]

Any teachers out there that would like to comment?

I just did.

 

[Woodznutz]

Those things are all "against the rules," and almost all illegal.

Are they also immoral?

 

[Unkotare]

Are they also immoral?

That's why they are illegal.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Would you be upset if the school was teaching your daughter to be a good person?

How do they do that?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Do schools have policies regarding immoral behavior on school property?

What do you consider immoral?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Bullying, selling drugs, theft, assault. These seem to be common problems in our schools.

The school disciplinary codes usually address every one of those issues.

 

[Woodznutz]

That's why they are illegal.

Thank you!

 

[SweetSue92]

If morals aren't taught by parents or church isn't it the duty of schools to step into the breach? There are morality lessons that schools can teach that parents and church wouldn't touch.

Civic responsibilities are morals (usually called 'mores').

This is where schools have gotten into a whole lot of trouble lately both of their own volition and by default: by taking over the role as parents and trying to be Moral Teachers.

Schools should absolutely enforce a code of conduct that includes basics like safety. Teachers in classrooms should encourage taking turns, using words not violence, etc--I would hope parents wouldn't have a problem with teachers establishing these basic social interactions. Beyond that it is not our job to teach morals.