A civic society depends on people's ability to reason together, which requires them to seek and tell the truth. However, Sarah Stitzlein argues that schools spend too little time deliberately teaching students the value of honesty. Far from being simply a personal virtue, honesty enables citizens to think and act together for the benefit of all.…

Schools, more and more, have emphasized the acquisition of knowledge, which seems to have come at the expense of wisdom and positive ethical values, which have not been emphasized. Nonetheless, wisdom and ethical values are what's needed to be taught in schools. But acting wise, or ethically, is a complicated process involving eight sometimes…

In a challenging critique of moral education in public schools, James Davison Hunter argues that the unspoken imperative of all moral education is to teach only those virtues, principles, and other moral teachings about which there is essentially no disagreement in American society. Hunter claims that almost every major form of moral education in…

Considers popular approaches to moral and character education in schools. Draws on the work of moral philosophers such as Kant and Kohlberg to construct a synthesis of direct and indirect teaching methods allowing children to make moral choices. Includes 25 references. (MLH)

Discusses ways in which the film "The China Syndrome" can be used as a tool for ethical instruction. Points out ethical issues arising within the film and similar issues arising outside the film. (IRT)

Criticizes the values clarification approach for avoiding the structure of values, for allowing judgmental activites, for embracing moral relativism, and for not being founded in theory. (DW)

Describes the programs developed and under development for ethics education in the Salt Lake City schools. (IRT)

Six years ago, students at Birch Meadow Elementary School (Reading, Massachusetts) were polite to adults, but callous and uncaring toward each other. Today, thanks to a "Just Community" approach modeled on Lawrence Kohlberg's philosophy, students feel a sense of school ownership and responsibility for their classmates. (MLH)

The author offers an argument for organized inculcation of moral values into students. (IRT)

Discusses an experiment in moral education at the Cluster School, Cambridge (Massachusetts). Concludes that for those aiming for the application of moral reasoning to the life of the school, the just community approach may prove most promising. (Author/WD)

Discusses a student discipline problem involving a substitute teacher and a student who used foul language in class. The teacher responded with a firm, but venomous, threat that provoked a response from the vice principal's office, but not from the boy's parents. Advocates on-the-spot ethical instruction to maintain credibility and an effective…

A teacher integrates character education into content lessons by lacing a "character cocktail" with community, manners, and ethical decision-making. (MLF)

W. Clement Stone responds to questions on education, politics, morality, economics, and motivation. (DW)

Proposes that sex information should consist of sexual facts which are established as valid in the scientific community and integrated in the day to day curriculum without value judgment. (MF)