Moral discourse in the U.S. has sunk to new lows and needs to be addressed. In part, as a response, Louisiana’s governor just signed off on a misguided approach: A law requiring that every public classroom in the state display the Ten Commandments.
The Republican sponsor of the legislation argues that this biblical text “shows what a moral code we all should live by is.”
Many of us, raised in Jewish, Christian or Islamic traditions, value these commandments, but Louisiana’s approach is not the solution to the problem.
If proponents of such laws in Louisiana and elsewhere are serious about wanting to improve moral education, they need to take a different approach.
First, Louisiana’s legislation violates the division of church and state. Our Founding Fathers, following an era of fierce religious persecution of Protestants, Catholics and others, fought for religious freedom.
“No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship. … Nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief,” Thomas Jefferson wrote.
Today, many Americans are Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, agnostics or, increasingly, “spiritual but not religious”; and many are wary of organized religion, given recent scandals and abuses of power.
They may not want an Old Testament document hanging in every classroom.
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Second, as a country, we are facing mounting moral quandaries, concerning climate change, abortion, vaccines, artificial intelligence and other topics that the Ten Commandments do not address.
At the moment, the fate of Louisiana’s law is unclear. Its proponents hope that a lawsuit from critics will ultimately make its way to the conservative-leaning Supreme Court and that the law will be upheld.
Yet, regardless of the outcome, the new law offers a critical opportunity to reflect on broader questions of how best to enhance moral education in our country and provide a moral compass for our students. Though this new law disturbs many observers, we should see it as a rare opportunity to consider and potentially change how and what we teach.
It provides a chance to contemplate seriously how to improve moral discourse in schools in ways that go beyond narrow, parochial approaches, and examine the very real challenges we face as a nation.
Philosophers from Aristotle and Jean-Jacques Rousseau to psychologists such as Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg have described how moral education starts with the young. Research has shown how children learn values early, and how education plays an important role in promoting character formation, good citizenship and democratic values, including respect and caring for, and tolerance of, others.
Unfortunately, teachers do not always adequately attend to these topics and students then give the subjects low status.
When teachers do address moral education, they often lack age-appropriate curricula. Fourth graders and 12th graders clearly differ, and instructors must gear their efforts appropriately to each grade level’s capacities.
In addition, researchers have highlighted that moral education should be given not only through lectures and readings of particular philosophical or religious texts but also through role modeling and discussions of real dilemmas, with students thinking through and articulating arguments.
As part of this approach, we need to teach critical-thinking skills and emphasize the importance of looking at all relevant facts and principles and any biases we may have. In debates about today’s moral controversies, for instance, various politicians and pundits frequently voice just a single ethical precept, while neglecting others. A pundit might argue for individual freedom — for example, that factories have a right to burn as much fossil fuel as they want, or that people have a right to refuse all vaccines — while ignoring risks to the environment or other people, principles of social justice and alternative perspectives.
And we must apply ethical principles that can address our contemporary moral challenges explicitly. Scholars generally think that the Ten Commandments were first written down at a specific time, probably 3,500 to 2,500 years ago — according to the Bible, by a member of a single tribe of people who had been wandering around in the desert for 40 years.
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Today, as a part of a population of roughly 8 billion people, we confront a very different, globalized, technologically advanced world. The Ten Commandments address a relatively narrow set of responsibilities — to parents, God and the Sabbath and to not murdering, stealing, bearing false witness, committing adultery or coveting our neighbor’s house or belongings.
This list is important, but ignores our other vital responsibilities — for instance, to our planet, our wider society, peace and the poor.
If we want to teach the Ten Commandments, perhaps as part of a wider curriculum, we should consider additional moral guidelines as well.
Here are some I would suggest:
- Thou shalt think of future generations.
- Thou shalt respect the Earth, avoid contributing to climate change and use alternative energy sources.
- Thou shalt work toward world peace.
- Thou shalt consider the greater social good, not just thine own personal benefit.
- Thou shalt consider the poor and disadvantaged (a message preached by both Buddha and Jesus).
- Thou shalt respect those with whom thou dost disagree.
- Thou shalt consider all the facts and not just cherry pick them.
- Thou shalt consider the long-term, not just the short-term, implications of thine own actions.
- Thou shalt accept responsibility for thine own actions and not just blame others.
- Thou shalt question thyself and think critically about thy viewpoints.
These suggestions can serve as a starting point, as part of a broader discussion among educators, policymakers and others, of how best to teach our students to act ethically.
Dr. Robert Klitzman is a professor of psychiatry and director of the Bioethics master’s program at Columbia University School of Professional Studies, and the author of “Doctor, Will You Pray for Me?: Medicine, Chaplains, and Healing the Whole Person”
This story about moral education was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s weekly newsletter.