Why Our Children Don't Think There are Moral Facts

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Interesting read.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.co...ildren-dont-think-there-are-moral-facts/?_r=1

 

[eldirector]

Yep, blame it on the schools.

IMHO (see what I did there?), it is not their responsibility to "teach" morals. While they may THINK it is, it is actually the parents' responsibility. The ROOT of the the problem, is that we have abdicated our responsibility as parents. Raise them in your own "moral framework", and as this author did, talk to them about other frameworks and why they don't align with your family's. If you don't, someone else will......

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Yep, blame it on the schools.

IMHO (see what I did there?), it is not their responsibility to "teach" morals. While they may THINK it is, it is actually the parents' responsibility. The ROOT of the the problem, is that we have abdicated our responsibility as parents. Raise them in your own "moral framework", and as this author did, talk to them about other frameworks and why they don't align with your family's. If you don't, someone else will......

You're right. But I tend to think, in some cases the schools tend to undo the work of the parents and in others, reflect the attitudes of many others. The schools are not made up of robots. They are made up of people, our neighbors. If my neighbors believe this stuff, my children's neighbors, friends, etc., it will certainly be a contest for the mind of my children.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Funny, I read the article and I would still stick with the definitions on his son's 2nd grade classroom wall.

The examples that the guy used to suggest that some "truths" can be later proven to in fact not be true, like when people believed the earth was flat, only serve to explain that there is a difference between what is truth and what is opinion. And if a "truth" is dis proven, then that means it wasn't really a "truth" after all.

And, any argument about this, at least any productive argument, must begin with a definition of what a "truth" really is and what an "opinion" really is.

One thing almost every kid learns is that when adults say "It's wrong to do that.", it all too often means "I don't want you to do that, but reserve the right to either do it myself, or to be perfectly OK with other adults doing it without any complaint from me."

And, after reading the article again, the writer at least proves that he doesn't believe that it's a "moral fact" that it's wrong to be disingenuous. The article begins by suggesting that schools teach children that it's not wrong to kill or to cheat. But then, in his further explanation, he admits that schools, in fact, don't teach those things, but just that schools separate those kinds of "truths" from the - if you drop an apple it will fall - kinds of "truths". The writer may claim to be knowledgeable in philosophy, but he obviously knows very little of logic.

 

[Denny347]

If the school is a more powerful influence than you as a parent, then you are a ****ty parent.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

If the school is a more powerful influence than you as a parent, then you are a ****ty parent.

I think of it more like every parent has the opportunity to be the most influential person in the lives of their children, and the parent makes the decision to do it or not.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

What would you say if you found out that our public schools were teaching children that it is not true that it’s wrong to kill people for fun

I would ask what class my kid is taking. ..

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

If the school is a more powerful influence than you as a parent, then you are a ****ty parent.

Yep. Judging by some of the beliefs, by some here on INGO, ****ty parents abound.

 

[Denny347]

I think of it more like every parent has the opportunity to be the most influential person in the lives of their children, and the parent makes the decision to do it or not.

Ok, you said it with more finesse.

 

[Denny347]

Yep. Judging by some of the beliefs, by some here on INGO, ****ty parents abound.

There is no shortage of them.

 

[T.Lex]

Wow. I'll take "Over Thinking Things" for a thousand, Alex.

Fact: Dude is reading too much into his grade school kid's education.

Opinion: He probably wants 8 year olds to suffer through philosophy class.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Opinion: He probably wants 8 year olds to suffer through philosophy class.

As an 8 year old, I would have preferred philosophy over most of what I was subjected to in school. (but I was not a normal 8 year old)

 

[Dead Duck]

Weird - all these problems at schools.

At my kids old school, not only did their teacher and principal open carry, the students could also shoot during recess.
Oh, did I mention I home schooled. Being involved in a church didn't hurt much either.

 

[spencer rifle]

Weird - all these problems at schools.

At my kids old school, not only did their teacher and principal open carry, the students could also shoot during recess.
Oh, did I mention I home schooled. Being involved in a church didn't hurt much either.

Parenting win.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Weird - all these problems at schools.

At my kids old school, not only did their teacher and principal open carry, the students could also shoot during recess.
Oh, did I mention I home schooled. Being involved in a church didn't hurt much either.

OK, between the teacher and the Principal, which one had the final say on things?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Wow. I'll take "Over Thinking Things" for a thousand, Alex.

Fact: Dude is reading too much into his grade school kid's education.

Opinion: He probably wants 8 year olds to suffer through philosophy class.

I agree.

The fact remains almost all of us here went to public schools, yet we hold diverse opinions on many issues. Obviously if they are indoctrination camps as some want to claim, they aren't going a real good job. I've been hearing how terrible public schools are since I was old enough to know what a public school was, and back then it was the Japanese who were going to hand us our collective backsides...yet I turned out just fine and did pretty well with my public school education. I'd say many, many people here can say the same.

People find the oddest things to complain about.

 

[Bfish]

I feel like you see just as much of this if not more in some places at the college level. I am in line with what a lot of you are saying with how it all comes down to parenting and other influences that will mean more to someone than what they are taught in school. While I think schools could do a better job, morals go way beyond a classroom sphere of influence.

 

[Mark 1911]

Imposed opinion is the state-sponsored religion that the 1st amendment supposedly protects against. When opinion is one's god, then conflicting opinion can be the only result. Eventually the overwhelming chaos of conflicting opinion will lead back to truth if the house divided does not fall first. John Adams in a speech to the military in 1798 warned his fellow countrymen stating, "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

 

[Thor]

Saw problems with the gubmint schools with our son....took him out and home schooled him, he thrived (SAT in the top 2%). Daughter will never go there.

Yeah, we do find the oddest things to complain about. Like forced sex ed and common core BS. My kids will be ready to take a part in the 1% while every one else swims with the rest of the school fishes.

Unfortunately they may find it well past time to water the liberty tree by the time they are ready to partake. They will be ready for that too, it's all part of the education.

 

[rob63]

I spent 15 years working in 3 different public school systems and have never ceased to be amazed at all of the things I have been told are going on in public schools that I simply never did see. What I did see was a lot of reading, writing, and arithmetic taught by teachers that work really hard, volunteer their free time for community events, and go to church on Sunday.