Public Education and the Recovery of Ethics
By Charles McCullough
Dr. Charles McCullough has been pastor of the White Rock Baptist Church in Los Alamos, New Mexico for ten years. A native of Oklahoma and a graduate of John Brown University, he worked in the Los Alamos Laboratories before earning a Ph.D. degree in Christian Ethics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The first article printed here is a substantive one, which he has copyrighted and which is used here with his permission; and the second, with a comparable thrust but in a different genre, reflects his threefold calling as father, pastor, and public citizen.
Our culture is in the throes of ethical crisis: we insist not only upon the freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness but also the freedom to choose our own avenues of vocation, education, and personal development. Yet, as a society, we are losing sight of the very thing which endows those freedoms with cohesiveness and meaning. We are losing ethical vision, the ability to recognize and act upon what ought to be done in times of confusion and conflict.
A cultural abridgment of ethical vision is due to many factors. The information revolution with its disparate array of viewpoints and choices leads to emotional fatigue and confusion. The nation`s increasingly mobile, pluralistic social mix results in decreased connections with neighbors. The widening socio-economic gap in the nation renders constructive dialogue on crucial moral issues difficult if not impossible.
There is another factor which has contributed to diminishing ethical vision in the United States. Led by the "values-free" movement in the 1960s and 1970s, public education and a good deal of private and parochial education as well, in the 1990s has made significant strides toward removing traditional character education (which insists on teaching personal values and evaluating ideas in terms of good and bad or right and wrong) from the formal training of young people.
Any educational system which rejects the teaching of ethical norms by buying into the classic "values clarification" model or simply by claiming to be "open-minded, tolerant, and sensitive," risks rejecting the time-tested, cross-cultural wisdom held in common by the world`s great religions and philosophies concerning the right way to live. Powerful media forces, information explosions, multicultural mixes, and technological advances do not, in and of themselves, invalidate what humanity has long known to be true and honorable in attitudes and behavior.
The result of the gradual discarding of ethical norms from the public domain is an inexorable erosion of moral conduct. Thus, it is little wonder that our education systems have not dealt effectively with the problems of violence in the schools, drug abuse, teen-age pregnancy, teen suicide, and high school dropouts.
A good example of this appears in New Mexico, the state where I live. The educational system in New Mexico has not significantly affected the state`s homicide rate, which is consistently one third higher than the national average. Suicide among students is twice the national average. Studies show increasing levels of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse as well as growing numbers of deadly weapons being brought on the school campuses, and this in spite of federal, state, and local dollars being spent on preventive programs in the school. (Let Peace Begin With Us: The Problem of Violence in New Mexico; Health and Environ. Dept./NM Pediatric Society, 1990.)
Our schools are affected by a more broad trend in contemporary culture: the rise of the intolerably tolerant society. Characterized by what is often called "political correctness," this trend does not so much represent a legitimate, compelling concern for civil justice, as it sets up sets of words and attitudes which are socially acceptable but intellectually brain dead. Iris the logical outcome of idolized individualism.
When fear of violating anybody`s opinion or offending every sensibility or prejudice (no matter how vacuous or ill-conceived they may be) pervades its ethical conscience, public education becomes ethically sterile. When everybody is declared "right" and every position or opinion is declared valid, then tolerance (a civic virtue of American pluralism, in which people agree to get along with each other regardless of differences in beliefs) is subverted to "approval." At that point no moral questions may be raised concerning the "rightness" or
"wrong ness" of any value. Facts and figures may be communicated and learned at school, but the clear-headed ability to seize upon the high ideals of character is lost along the way.
In this environment, young people are often left to determine for themselves how they ought to deal with the moral issues of their lives without being provided any consistent ethical framework. The concept that valid ethical norms exist with which they may respond to the dilemmas of life is far from their intellectual grasp.
To be sure, demagogues and sectarian dictators abound who have their own ideas of how to define what is right for everyone else. Reactionary fanatics and religious zealots, with a fierce devotion to the elusive, idealized "past" of "traditional values," are full of ideologies which often consist of fragmented, often arbitrary, moralisms. These are not the answer to the concerns we face today.
Public education, though not the sole solution, has the potential for helping to return ethical vision to the public arena. Following are five propositions which may prove useful in this effort.
First, a word of caution is suggested. Beware of relying too much on more programs designed to teach self-esteem, conflict resolution, social skills, et al.
Specialized curriculum has much to offer-but it is not automatically the answer to the challenge of ethical character formation. There is, in fact, little substantive evidence that pre-packaged programs have significant long-term effectiveness. A Carnegie Council study of 51 violence-prevention programs, used primarily in public schools, showed that almost none of the programs followed up on participants after the program had ended to see how their lives were affected. (Renee Wilson-Brewer, et al., Violence Prevention for Young Adolescents: A Survey of the State of the Art, 1991.)
From the practical standpoint, more programs are hard on teachers. Public school staff may already be overextended in simply keeping up with developments in their field. Adding yet another program can be demoralizing. Not only does the new program increase the workload, but it leads to skepticism that yet another packaged program will solve the schools` violence or drug abuse problem.
Teachers need to be enabled to do what teachers do best: teach. Students may discover self-esteem and learn conflict resolution and ethical decision making in the process of academic achievement.
An emphasis should be placed on ethical ma. lie faces chaos. deliberation and decision making in the life of the school. Effort should be expended in identifying ethical norms and exploring how they can be practiced in the school environment.
Intentional ethical deliberation is needed at every level of the school system, and it ought to begin with faculty and administrators. Adult leaders in the system should define codes of ethical behavior for themselves. Following their example, students ought to define codes of ethical behavior for themselves with agreed upon consequences for violations,.
These codes of ethics should be based upon shared sets of established norms (such as caring, respect, fairness, trustworthiness, responsibility, citizenship, and the value of work.) Any system which ignores or seeks to invalidate these time-tested norms bears the burden of proof as to its own validity and usefulness.
Ethical dilemmas and difficult situations exist in every facet of life-but that is not because of the failure of ethical standards. Ethical quandaries exist precisely because such standards apply. It is the power and relevance of norms in conflict with each other, each holding its own, that give rise to the dilemma. It is practically inconceivable that situations can arise where there is no help from existing norms. Ethical decision making is an ongoing exercise of humans in relationship to each other. Ethical deliberation can proceed ad infinitum, but at some point, decisions must be made and commitments upheld. The concept of responsibility demands that one must face the ordeal of decision making. To refrain from making judgments is not so much to be sensitive or tolerant as it is to shirk responsibility. The person for whom standards do not apply does not face a dilemma. He faces chaos.
Public schools must address the myth that teaching should be "values-free."
Schools inevitably teach ethical values. There is no such thing as values-free education. Ethical norms are built into the very nature of the system, from very early on: "Do not cheat or steal, respect other persons, obey the law," etc. Many holidays (Presidents Day, et al.) recognize persons who exemplified in their lives standards of justice and fairness, honesty, citizenship, and responsibility.
Furthermore, teachers, as humans, are never ethically neutral. Teaching, far from being an activity that avoids influencing students` opinions, is an activity known by its direct action on knowledge, skills, opinions, and beliefs. To say otherwise is to be dishonest.
The task of the teacher is to challenge students to think through actions and decisions and to consider the effect of such actions on one`s self and society. Educators must address American culture and the global community with a clear, authentic ethical voice, contributing to the formation of character and the development of a sense of ethical responsibility in their students.
Other institutions in society, including families (the place where character building should and generally does begin) and faith communities must provide checks and balances to the efforts of the educator.
Build ethics into the curriculum.
Ethical vision is something to be considered not only in ethics courses and special units but also in traditional history, literature, or science classes. Some educators are realizing that the ideal curriculum format would in some way organize the entire school around ethical principles or character traits on a regular basis. (See R. Taylor, National Curriculum Study Institutes, Developing Student Leaders, July 260-27, 1990: p 2)
Reading and interacting with literature, struggling (and perhaps identifying with) Ulysses and Penelope, Romeo and Juliet, and Tom Sawyer, Becky, Huck, and Jim; engaging the ethical quandaries in the sciences and the history and the arts-these activities have demonstrated ability to challenge and motivate students, and serve to pass on the best of our ethical heritage to the next generation.
Seek ways to help students find a construing framework on which to hang their values.
Many students come from dysfunctional or abusive families, with absentee parents, with incredibly low self-esteem, with damaged emotions, and with little sense of purpose of life. These students-indeed, all young people-are searching for a sense of meaning, a way to deal with ultimate issues. This fact presents an exciting and risky challenge to late 20th-century education.
Consequently, teachers must look beyond current secular educational models and come to grips with the possibility that people are spiritual beings as much as they are physical, intellectual, and emotional. A response to the dearth of morality and ethical vision is an honest one only when it considers every dimension of human existence.
This is not to imply that sectarian indoctrination or legalisms are appropriate or even fruitful in a pluralistic environment. It is to suggest, however, that the following three principles should be considered when approaching the issue of meaning in the public school arena.
The spiritual nature and nurture of individuals should be affirmed. Children should be encouraged to consider the individual, family, and corporate religious heritage they or the people around them possess not as something to be disdained, feared, or ridiculed but as something to be valued and carefully examined. Students should be challenged to examine spiritual truths as a means by which life and ethics can begin to make sense.
Spiritual resources in the community should be seen as partners in the process. The day is coming when networking may have to take place. Schools and religious institutions in the community may be the two entities which are best suited for dealing with the situations out of which troubled kids come. Ways in which the two can cooperate to strengthen families should be explored. (Example: Consider release time religious education programs for credit. [Gilmer High School, Ellijay, GA: privately funded, off-campus location, voluntary attendance, parental approval; more than 100 similar centers operate in the nation today.])
Schools are not churches and churches do not fill the role of the schools. This cuts both ways: churches should support public schools, not abandon them. Schools should see churches/synagogues, et al., as partners, not adversaries.
Schools can`t do it all; government agencies can`t do it all; health care agencies can`t do it all. If a sense of community is to be built in which students can see ethical norms at work, then faith communities must take their place alongside other agencies as recognized and significant organizations in the community at large.
Do no violence to the essential principle of non-establishment of religion.
Faith communities which are consistent with their convictions must stop worrying about government mandated prayer and begin taking action to influence the community by means of respectful, responsible interaction with the schools (seeing the schools not as the enemy, but as a partner in the task of propagating ethical concepts in young people.)
Our society does not need nor should we advocate a religious state. The American dream and the religious freedom we experience in this country are largely dependent upon a level playing field for all ideologies and belief.
If the social fabric of our nation is to be strengthened, if moral dialogue is to be created and sustained, and if the future generations are to be prepared for the exigencies of a rapidly shifting and complex world, the public schools must recover an ethical vision for the late 20th century.
[Editor`s Note: And now along the same line, here is Dr. McCullough`s]
Pastor`s Perspective on Public Schools
The not-quite-grown-up little girls with the long legs and dancing blue eyes put on their new back-packs, stuffed with pencils, paper, ruler and glue bottle, and headed out the door to greet their friends. Together, laughing, full of anticipation, they set off for the first day of school.
Funny, they seem so much more grown up than last year at this time.. .and yet still so vulnerable. I experience a slight queasiness; misgivings sneak into my mind: "What am I doing? How can I send these precious, impressionable little people to that school, and surrender control of their learning to adults I don`t even know?"
But wait…I went to public school, and I`m OK. (True, not everyone who knows me would agree totally with that.) Other people send their kids to school. It can`t be all that bad. Still, throughout the day, I think of those kids and wonder just what is happening in their lives that is beyond the safe confines of the home their Mother and I have created for them.
Few institutions are as publicly maligned as a public school. There may be indeed a critical crisis in public education: historical revisionism, misplaced multiculturalism, and political correctness do exist. The potential deterioration of academic standards and a mushy moral environment which invites drug abuse, teen sexual activity, sexual harassment, and violence are genuine concerns. The public debate on the role of religion in the school rages on.
In spite of the problems, however, the public school is an important thread in the fabric of our society. In a broad sense, it provides one basis for the "common language" of our social ethos. It offers a historical perspective on the structures and traditions of the nation. The school is one of the first places that young people encounter the variety of ideas present in the culture and experience dialogue on those issues.
We hope the public school provides young people with pracVV tical tools for functioning in the world: teaching them to read, to write an intelligible sentence, and to spell decently; teaching them how to use a computer, so they can use E-mail to write home; giving them enough math to calculate their gas mileage and do their taxes; teaching them enough history so they can appreciate how they got where they are and helping them to understand that they are writing the next chapter.
Presumably, schools help our kids go on to college or get a paying job or have enough sense to join the Navy. Social ethical principles (like honesty, respect, fairness, responsibility, and getting along with other people) are inherent in the routines established at school.
Nevertheless, the fact that the institution is a public school clearly indicates that each citizen bears some responsibility for its success (whether we have children in school or not).
This article is not an uninformed paean to the public schools. It is, rather, an effort to prod you toward exercising personal, Christian responsibility in your community`s schools.
Get to know some teachers. Personally, I am thankful for the people who dedicate their lives to teaching children. I am amazed that they do it year after year, being subject as they are to relatively low pay and generally high levels of criticism. There are many fine teachers in our public schools who genuinely care about your kids and mine. There are some committed Christian teachers who may be the only Christian witness some kids will see. There are teachers in your congregation: encourage them and pray for them.
Keep a balanced perspective on the subject. The school is not the enemy. If there is some grand conspiracy to take over the schools and subvert the soul of the next generation, most teachers are too busy grading papers to be involved in it. Keep your eyes open, and know what is going on at school.. .but don`t get so caught up in finding demons under every desk that you lose sight of reality.
The school has a legitimate purpose which is distinct from I (though related to) the family and the church. We are chasing phantoms when we get lost in conspiracy theories.. .but we are in equally risky territory when we ask schools to do the things families and churches ought to be doing. We don`t expect the schools to indoctrinate our children in the elements of faith. We don`t ask them to write prayers for our kids. Concomitantly, we do not expect the schools to be antagonistic toward the values and faith we have instilled in our children.
Don`t panic, even if your children are exposed to some things at school with which you don`t agree. Such events are marvelous teaching moments when you can talk to your kids about what you believe, share your values, and answer their questions.
Make sure your kids are in church. You are fooling yourself if you think that your kid`s education is complete if it consists only of going to school. Students need the leveling influence of the community of faith. They need to be around Christian adults who will model for them a scriptural and spiritual approach to the things they are learning in school. They need consistent reminders that the God of grace and glory is at work in their lives and in their surroundings.
Don`t lose hope. Remember that the world is full of both risk and opportunity (they come as package deal!) Our hope is not ultimately in the school district policy or staff hiring procedures or the next school board election.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ, who has saved us and given us eternal life and called us to be salt and light in an often tasteless and dark world. I hope and pray that this truth fills the heart and shapes the actions of those not-quite-grown-up little girls with the long legs and dancing blue eyes who are at school today.
