Should we forget about religion, and start teaching morality and ethics in our schools?

Question

Of course, we should only include those morals that are commonly accepted by the various cultures.

Should such courses be mandatory?

MYKAYL---The schools are in a better position to handle these problems that arise from the interactions of young people.The parents are not their in the middle of it as it happens.

F***Face---You seem to be the only one who thought the question was already answered.

MYKAYL should read MEKAYLA---sorry.

Make My DAy---You've made some good points, however we have managed to cooperate w/ many other cultures to form organizations like NATO and the U.N.;and we have managed to set up international markets, trade agreements, and monetary exchanges in spite of the various conflicting interests.--So, we should not dismiss this thought too quickly.
Even though all the above might not be perfect, it's at least as good as the present situation.

Tehabwa---Yes children can figure out that it's wrong to kill or steal, but are they really accepting that simple truth w/o discussing all the implications and further conclusions regarding it?---seems not---Young people seem to be stealing and killing more than ever.
I think the teaching of morals requires much more than a simple mention of the value of these morals to self and society.

KeefUps---Yes we presently teach ethics in schools, but not nearly enough.
This subject should be nearly as important as math or English, which are taught every year.

SAMTRON---I try to be a moral and ethical person, tet I turned away from religion about 50 yrs. ago.
In fact I believe I am morally superior to most religious people,because I continue to search for truth, and don't pretenend to own it.

Mr.Ed---Yes we will continue to have disagreement on many moral and ethical issues, with or without religion.
However, if we don't allow religious considerations to be legitiment arguements in deciding what are the best rules for social behavior, our problems should be minimized.

Answer 1

Yes, because all religion revolve around morality and ethics and even more - integrity, justive, righteousness, compassion, forgiveness, etc. Religion was originally there to instill such values, but people came to see religion as serving God.

Answer 2

Many countries do that. In the Quebec Protestant School system, that was taught instead of religion. (The confessional school system has now been done away with).
The problem with the concept, is that morality and ethics can also be very subjective.
For instance, should a mixed class in fifth grade see a demonstraiton on how to put on a condom? Some would say an absolute yes, because promiscuity begins very young. Others would say no, especially in a mixed class, because it would get young boys and girls discussing sex with each other prematurely, and their curiosity could lead to other things before their time.
What do we teach about violence? About capital punishment? About war? About abortion? Strong values on both sides and in the middle of each of those questions.

Answer 3

"Should we ... start teaching morality and ethics in our schools & only include >those morals that are commonly accepted< by the various cultures?"

And ... What would those be?
The things they Claim to believe/teach,
...... or those they Actually Do & condone? & Which?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/pr/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/kn37/article_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050715/article_01.htm

Godly Principles Themselves
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2002/2/15/article_01.htm

Ethical Decisions:
A Trait Distinctively Human
- What Is Meant By Ethics?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2004/12/1/article_01.htm

Right and Wrong--How Should One Decide?
- Differing Opinions
- Is Popular Opinion a Trustworthy Guide?
- Can You Trust Your Own Judgment?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2004/12/1/article_02.htm

Answer 4

I truly don't feel that the school is the proper place, nor with all the different "views" of morality and ethics, be the best thing to happen.

I feel that most children know what is right from wrong, and it should be up to the teachers to "SHOW" rather than teach this ethics. I think a lot as kids we were taught not to do basic things to another person. I just think that parents should teach their children these things and take a more active role in molding their children into decent human beings. We keep leaving it up to the school system to teach our children everything! Where does that leave the parents on forming their children into responsible adults and taking responsibility for these lives they choose to bring into the world.

That's just my opinion. :)

Answer 5

Depends on what you mean.

If you mean mindlessly drill kids to memorize a set of "morals" then, no.

But, as you point out, there are common morals of humanity as a whole.

That suggests to me that we needn't teach them ("Don't kill" -- for example; kids can figure that stuff out for themselves).

What I do think is that significant time should be spent in school showing students how to reason about moral topics, how there are somewhat different approaches to doing so, and give them lots of opportunities to think through moral questions -- arguing with each other, reading what others think, writing out moral arguments, and such.

And they should learn about things relevant to morals, such as psychology, sociology, natural sciences, and such.

But you'll never get the wing-nuts to go along with this plan. It won't happen for a generation or two, at least.

Answer 6

If we could find morality and ethics that were commonly accepted by the various cultures that were free of religion, absolutely... but there will always be dissenters. That's why morality and ethics is typically left up to the parents, who don't always do a stellar job.

Answer 7

Morality and ethics are two basic things that should be taught at home, not at school. Kids should already start school with the basic learning of what is right and what is not, which is the base of both morality and ethics.

The problem with kids and their behavior is not schools, or video games or rock music, but lazy parents who let school to completely take care of them and them suing when school did something wrong,

Answer 8

Yes! And no, we shouldn't only include those morals that are commonly accepted by the various cultures. We should start teaching morality and ethics in general.

Answer 9

that would be a good thing - but as ethics and moral depends on the culture ( I am afraid that the most common moral/ethics in cultures all over the world is - how to keep the people enslaved) I think that a teaching in 'Enlightenment' may be better - perhaps.

Answer 10

If we lived in a perfect society this would float, but unfortunately we don't. As long as everyone is not treated equal in all cultures, morals and ethics can not be taught, because they wouldn't exist.