Missing Eduction: Morality & Ethics

We are living in a world that is more complex, faster, and more visible than at any point in human history. Everything we do is subject to scrutiny by the world, not just those physically present to see or hear. With the rapid advancement of the internet, artificial intelligence, cameras and audio recorders now everywhere, and more coming every day, we need to slow down and decide if speed is really healthy or if we need more to slow down and think before acting or speaking.

We're Failing Our Youth And Ourselves By Missing Educational Opportunities

There is something missing in nearly every public school in America: a systematic, age‑appropriate Morality & Ethics class. Not a bit of character education here or there, not just “values” tacked onto assemblies, but a full course—starting in first grade and continuing through high school—in which children learn how to think about what is right and wrong, why ethical decisions are often messy, and how to act responsibly in face of conflicting values.

I believe this is not optional. Without it, we are weaving a society with gaps in moral reasoning, ill‑prepared citizens, and too much of the public discourse devolving into shouting rather than thoughtful engagement.

Below I explain why this class is critical, what its structure might look like, examples of what it could teach, how it handles ethical complexity, and what happens when we don’t teach it—using current examples and historical and literary sources to show both the necessity and the tools we already have.

What Are Morals/Morality?

Morals are an individual's internal principles about right and wrong, shaped by personal experiences, upbringing, and values.

What Are Ethics?

Ethics are external codes of conduct or principles that a group or society establishes to guide behavior in specific contexts, such as a profession.

Morality & Ethics: Not Simple, Not Easy, But Necessary

One of the core things an ethics class would teach is that morality is not always obvious. Many people assume that right and wrong are simple, or that “I know what I believe, so that’s enough.” But real life constantly delivers situations in which values clash:

• Honesty vs kindness (is it always right to tell someone the brutal truth, or do you sometimes need to shade or withhold parts for compassion?);

• Loyalty vs justice (if a friend does something wrong, do you cover for them or report them?);

• Self‑interest vs public good (do I put my ambition first, or do I consider how my actions affect others?).

Philosophers over centuries have debated these. There is utilitarianism (do the greatest good for the greatest number), deontological ethics (following rules or duties), virtue ethics (focusing on character), social contract theory, relativism, etc. A good education in ethics does not presume one set of answers but teaches frameworks, the ability to evaluate, and the humility to say “I don’t know for sure, but here are my reasons.”

Without this, people may act impulsively or follow demagoguery, rhetoric, or tribal loyalties rather than reasoned morality.

Real-World Costs of Not Teaching Ethics

The gap in moral reasoning shows up everywhere, from individual behavior to political speech. Consider, for example, how public figures sometimes speak without seeming to consider (or care about) the consequences of their words.

Donald Trump offers multiple cases where rhetoric escalates division: attacking political opponents, the media, immigrants, etc., often in sweeping and harsh terms. These statements provoke fear, anger, sometimes violence. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his politics, many critics argue that Trump’s style frequently lacks deliberation about consequence or responsibility in moral terms. When leaders speak in absolutes, or rely on demonizing labels, that offers little space for ethical nuance. The listener is rarely encouraged to ask: what are the outcomes of this speech? Who is harmed, who is uplifted? What lies beneath the rhetoric?

If citizens had stronger grounding in ethics, they would be more likely to scrutinize such speech, ask for accountability, resist simplistic framing of complex issues, and demand moral responsibility.

Potential Sources of Teachings

Here are books, authors, and historical materials that would make excellent curriculum components:

• Aesop's Fables — Early and more basic lessons for younger audiences.

• What Would Lincoln Do? — Inspirational lessons from one of America's best thinkers and leaders. Amazon

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius — A series of personal writings by the famous Roman Emperor and Philosopher. Wikipedia

• The Elements of Moral Philosophy by James Rachels — a textbook that lays out major moral theories and discusses real‑life ethical dilemmas. Wikipedia

• The Methods of Ethics by Henry Sidgwick — one of the classics in utilitarian theory, helping students understand one major approach to evaluating outcomes. Wikipedia

• Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues That Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing by Michele Borba — practical, virtues‑based work useful especially at younger ages. Amazon

• E Is for Ethics: How to Talk to Kids About Morals, Values, and What Matters Most by Ian James Corlett — explicitly designed for younger children. InkWell Management Literary Agency+1

• Anthologies of moral stories: The Moral Compass: Stories for a Life’s Journey (William Bennett) etc. These provide a range of voices, cultures, stories. Wikipedia

• Literature with moral complexity: books like Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, where the protagonist faces ambiguous moral choices. Wikipedia

Historical sources also matter: speeches by civil rights leaders, political philosophy texts (Locke, Rousseau, Kant), examples of moral failure (e.g. abuses of power, propaganda) and moral courage (e.g. people standing against oppression), etc.

Why Starting Early Matters

Children begin forming notions of fairness, empathy, and right vs wrong very young. Even toddlers distinguish between “helpful” and “harmful” actions in simple experiments. If we wait until high school, many patterns are already entrenched: some moral reflexes (e.g. always siding with the in‑group), some intolerances, some lack of critical thinking about what they believe. Early training helps:

• Build capacity for empathy and perspective taking.

• Normalize discussion of moral issues so children feel safe expressing uncertainty.

• Teach consequence thinking: "What if I do this? What might happen to me, to others?" rather than impulsively doing what feels good or what’s popular.

Objections & Challenges — and How to Address Them

Objection 1: Who decides which morals or ethics are taught?Different cultures, religions, families have different moral beliefs. The class should aim not to indoctrinate a single worldview, but to expose students to diversity of ethical theories, allow them to reason, debate, ask questions, and develop their own reasoned moral positions.

Objection 2: It’s “religious” territory.Morality and ethics are not the same as religious doctrine. Ethics can be taught in a secular frame: fairness, harm vs benefit, rights, duties, virtues. No need to push a theology.

Objection 3: Schools are already overburdened.Yes, but we prioritize what we believe is essential. If we believe producing citizens who can think, not just memorize, then ethics deserves curricular weight. It may replace or integrate with existing “character education” or social studies modules, but done well, it pays dividends in behavior, civic responsibility, and societal trust.

What Happens When We Don't Teach It: A Culture of Outrage, Unthoughtful Leadership, Moral Blindness

When moral reasoning is not taught, several harmful patterns emerge:

• Leaders who speak without reflection, appealing to anger, revenge, simple slogans or scapegoating. (Many critics claim Donald Trump sometimes operates this way: using hostile rhetoric, emphasizing division over nuance, with consequences often downstream—polarization, distrust, even incitement.)

• Citizens who react emotionally without considering consequence, fact, or long‑term effects.

• Propaganda, misinformation, demagoguery become powerful—because moral vocabulary (harm, fairness, justice) is used manipulatively rather than thoughtfully.

• Weak civic engagement: people may vote, protest, or act based on feelings rather than principled reasoning; social trust frays.

Moral & Ethical "Thinking Before Acting": Why It Matters

An ethics class teaches students not just rules but processes: how to analyze possible outcomes, consider the perspectives of those affected, anticipate unintended consequences, weigh conflicting values, accept responsibility.

For example:

• Before speaking publicly, what might be the effect of my words? Might they hurt someone, incite violence, mislead?

• Before backing a policy, what are trade‑offs? Who benefits, who loses?

• Even in everyday life: telling the truth vs protecting someone’s feelings; owning up to mistakes; resisting peer pressure to act wrongly; understanding when “the ends justify the means” is a dangerous argument.

Without training, people often default to tribal identity, authority, or immediate self‑interest. With training, they are more likely to pause, think, and act more wisely.

What Could This Look Like?

Here is a sketch of how such a curriculum might progress:

Grade Levels	Topics / Activities	Skills Developed
1st‑3rd grade	Simple fables and stories (Aesop’s Fables, classic folklore), picture books that pose moral questions (e.g. “The Honest‑to‑Goodness Truth” by Patricia McKissack), storytelling: “What would you do if …?”	Basics of honesty, kindness, fairness; distinguishing right/wrong; discussing consequences in simple terms; empathy. Wikipedia
4th‑5th grade	More complex stories: moral dilemmas in literature, community cases (e.g. school incidents); discussion of virtues (courage, loyalty, responsibility); introduction to moral frameworks in simple form.	Ability to see multiple perspectives; understanding that sometimes there is no perfect solution; beginning to think about consequences beyond self.
Middle school (6‑8)	Deeper dilemmas: loyalty vs justice, peer pressure, honesty vs social acceptance, ethics in technology or media (bullying, privacy); small debates/discussions; introduction to ethical theory (utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) at a basic level.	Critical thinking; consequence analysis; recognizing moral ambiguity; forming reasoned positions; listening to counter arguments.
High school (9‑12)	Advanced ethical theory; extension to applied ethics (environment, bioethics, justice, law, business, politics); analysis of historical and current events (speeches, policies, leadership, abuses); long essays, debates, case studies; possibly philosophy component.	Sophisticated moral reasoning; ability to analyze implications of large‑scale actions; articulate moral judgments; capable of ethical leadership and civic engagement.

Final Word: We Need Ethics as Core, Not Optional

A Morality & Ethics class should be mandatory for every student, from first grade through high school. It should start simple—stories, fables, discussion—and grow into rigorous ethical reasoning, applied ethics, debate, understanding the complexity of history and current events.

We need more than standard civics or character education. We need citizens equipped with moral reasoning skills, not just facts. Because morality and ethics are what hold societies together, what allow rights to be respected, what demand leadership to be held accountable. The cost of neglecting them is high.

If we want a society in which leaders think before speaking; in which citizens understand and care about consequences; in which conflicting values are balanced fairly rather than trafficked in slogans or buried by fear—then this kind of education isn’t just nice, it’s imperative.