Schools are not to replace families in MORAL EDUCATION.
On second thought, will that be a question at all, whether to teach morality in school? No, I believe. But yes, brave enough to do it thoughtfully and consistently with the intent that what is taught in the School Arena is just a replica of what the child is learning in his or her Abode. Or else, the framework of Ethical Mirror building up within the child will crash.
Bottom line, the alternative is to be neutral. Of course, none consider it an option.
Next time, when we see a child sharing tiffin during recess, or helping a friend just to pick up his or her books and papers that slipped and fell on the floor, or hearing his or her friend cough just pass the water bottle, then we need to be curious to know where the kid learned these behaviours? Abode or in the Arena! Wherever the learning is, just let it grow and be contagious.
Let's take a hypothetical scenario: a parent stormed into the head teacher’s office and demanded, how did you teach my son about sharing and caring? The teacher was dumbstruck with words and into the chair! It so happens; the kid shared his new game quite excitedly with his cousin, with whose family his parents are not on talking terms.
Next one: Again, a parent walked in and demanded why his son is not taught morality!
Voila! The dumbstruck teacher is in what we call a catch-22 situation, courtesy of Joseph Heller. As I said earlier, it's hypothetical, but a catch-22 situation is real.
Time: an average child spends around 1000+ hours in the Arena in a year. Those hours of interactions, silent moments, comprehension, and learning are not only for the syllabus and for the marks, also a part of it is for sure on the life-learning too.
Nevertheless, when we talk about the moral decline of the youth (which is an ongoing process from generation to generation), we have to reflect that somewhere, what they learned is what we modelled them to be.
Interestingly, when we become nostalgic about our school days, we tend to remember more about our favourite teachers, not because of the subject that they taught primarily, but what otherwise they taught, guided, and reprimanded us at times. We love them for that.
That, otherwise, is where we picked up perseverance, respecting fellow beings, and ingredients for character building.
The guidance did not come as if the teachers were standing on a pulpit preaching morality or beliefs down someone’s throat. It came because such an environment was created where the children naturally develop empathy, are guided to critical thinking, understand social responsibility, and much more in their everyday moments of interactions. At the same time, assertiveness and guidance for any wrongdoing to imbibe that every action has consequences, not just for them but for their surroundings, too. The child will surely know right from wrong.
Yes, parents do teach their children; however, it is the school where community learning is prevalent. Dilemma of whether to cheat or not to cheat, teaming up with someone whom it is hard to call a friend (because of some bias or a fight), or to report bullying. Such practical real-life challenges can be sorted through moral reasoning daily, as Teachers keep a hawk eye on the little ones! As they say, schools are real-time laboratories for moral development.
Morality Matters More Than Marks!
And Student Behavior sends a message about what we value. The right and the wrong. The White and the Black.
What we are, they are that reflection.