A mandate to teach character.

Bill Damon is certainly right to point out that schools have always had a moral purpose, and American public schools avowed this purpose from their inception ("Good? Bad? or None of the Above?" Features, Spring 2005), I also agree with him that teachers--all teachers--are inevitably involved in moral education. The question is what sort of job they will do on this important task. Too many teachers today are discouraged from engaging students in moral dialogue by the incessant pressure to raise test scores. I agree, too, that teachers should instruct students explicitly on matters of right and wrong, where matters are clear enough for such instruction. There should be room, however, for the discussion of ambiguities.

But I strongly disagree with Damon that emotional awareness and feeling states have little to do with morality. The example he cites of an exercise in self-esteem is indeed silly, and such nonsense should be eliminated. However, thoughtful social/emotional content is vital in moral education. Self-understanding should not be regarded as "therapy," but as a fundamental element in both the acquisition of knowledge and the growth of moral sensitivity. Centuries ago, Socrates advised us, "Know thyself."

Children should be invited to ask themselves questions such as, Why do I sometimes act like a bully? Why do I do mean things? When am I tempted to lie or cheat? How do I feel at such moments? And teenagers need to reflect on the kinds of experience that corrupt us morally: Why do otherwise good people do horrible things in war? What does it mean to lose one's moral identity? When does emotion (or feeling) bring out the best (or worst) in me?

A whole philosophical school of thought puts feeling--the moral sentiments--at the heart of moral life and conduct. Of course we have to learn what is right--gain moral knowledge--but this knowledge, without feeling, may have little effect. David Hume, one of our greatest moral philosophers, said that moral truths must "take possession of the heart"; otherwise, "they can have no influence on conduct and behaviour."

This suggests that schools should give far more attention to the education of affect than they do at present. Not only is such education livelier and more likely to maintain students' attention, but it is also the key to moral motivation. To act morally, we have to be moved; we have to feel something. Affective education and moral education should work together to produce good people.

NEL NODDINGS 

Professor of Education Emerita 

Stanford University 

As a former social studies teacher and character educator of the year, I was pleased to read William Damon's "Moral Mandate." He hit the nail on the head in accosting this exaltation of self-esteem in American education. Several core values are inherent in every culture, "the best wisdom that the past and present can offer," and must be taught to our future leaders. However, Mr. Damon fell short in his diagnosis of this widespread disease.

In our contemporary world of high stakes testing, education's focus is math, science, and reading. As states pass character education initiatives, though, they incorporate such education in social studies classes rather than in math and science, to devote more time for tested content areas. Kids, who are never given enough credit, recognize what states deem "important" and respond accordingly. To resolve this issue, we must protect social studies at all levels, and character education needs to be a stand-alone course in elementary school. Students are more pliable in earlier grades, and such an early focus on character education could resolve many of the social ills evident in our middle and high schools.

JOEL E. MEDLEY

Office of Charter Schools, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction