Blog #14

Should personal values and ethics be taught in public schools?  Well, first answer this question: are public schools the same as private schools?  Obviously not!  Values and ethics change from person to person; what I value may not be your value; your ethics will not necessarily reflect mine.  Private schools are perfect settings to teach morals and ethics, but I don't believe public school is.  Public schools are to teach correct, undebatable education without personal values and ethics.

However, even though personal values should not be taught, teachers should encourage students to be active in community service and avoid activities such as drinking, smoking, and drug abuse to become better citizens.

There are some specific values and even subjects that should not be taught in public schools.  For example, creation and evolution are seen as "science" to the evolutionist or creationist.  Both sides believe they have evidence to support their theories, but really they look at the same "evidence" and create a history for it based on their bias.  This is not wrong, in fact it's good to use our brains to form our own opinions about things.  But because both of these theories are based more on opinion and belief than actual fact, neither of them should be taught to students in school because that is indoctrination, pure and simple.  Religion should not be taught in schools; children can learn about the origins of the world and religion at home, or from personal research.  Also another topic I don't believe should be taught in public schools is homosexuality.  Now first understand: I see no problem whatsoever with homosexuality.  Let people live how they wish, it's not my life to control and instruct.  But I really don't think the topic belongs in school; it has to do with personal values and ethics, which we already know differ extremely from person to person.  Personal beliefs should be taught at home or in private schools, not in public schools.