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Chapter 15 - Moral Education and Deep Disagreement

from Part III - Responses to Contemporary Moral Problems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2023

By
Jacob Affolter
Edited by
Douglas W. Yacek ,
Mark E. Jonas  and
Kevin H. Gary
Douglas W. Yacek
Affiliation:
Universität Dortmund
Mark E. Jonas
Affiliation:
Wheaton College, Illinois
Kevin H. Gary
Affiliation:
Valparaiso University, Indiana
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Summary

In this chapter, I argue that when common school teachers engage in moral education under conditions of deep disagreement, they cannot live up to liberal standards of justice. These standards demand that teachers treat a wide range of moral beliefs fairly. In practice, teachers who engage in moral education cannot avoid stigmatizing a range of students who hold legitimate moral beliefs. In support of this claim, I present a common approach to moral education that I regard as most likely to meet liberal standards of justice. I then argue that under conditions of deep disagreement, even the most skilled and well-intentioned teachers could not have the time or resources to treat all of their students’ views fairly. Finally, I suggest ways that teachers can mitigate the problem, in the hope that others will find better solutions.

Keywords

deep disagreementliberalismmoral educationmoral disagreementneutralityindoctrination
Type
Chapter
Information
Moral Education in the 21st Century , pp. 281 - 305
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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