This article presents a framework for considering the problems involved in developing and implementing more education programs in public secondary schools in the United States. Barriers that exist to moral education in the schools include political, philosophical, and pedagogical problems. The major political problems are those of public consensus…

Claims of character educators must be reexamined. Enthralled at the prospect of reducing violence, crime, and other irresponsible behavior, untutored readers may assume a direct relationship between values and behavior. If the public enthusiastically endorses programs based on this fallacious assumption, the resulting disappointment may doom all…

Research on the values clarification and moral development approaches to values education is reviewed. The purpose of the research, sample, treatment duration, instrumentation, effects of treatment, internal and external validity problems, major strengths and weaknesses, and confidence in researcher's claims are provided for each study. Further…

Described is a curriculum development effort in U.S. history--the "Reasoning with Democratic Values" series--aimed at stimulating higher-order thinking. Features of cognitive developmental psychology and of the new social studies materials are used in the lessons that ask students to examine and discuss ethical controversies. (RM)

The New Right regularly claims that the teaching of secular humanism by public schools is responsible for varied social ills and that it violates the constitutional prohibition against the advocacy of religious beliefs. This article explores these as empirical claims, concluding that no reliable evidence supports these allegations. Although such…

The report on values education in cross-cultural studies applies the methods of cultural anthropology to values education and provides guidelines for the selection, organization, and application of values education. It is designed for use by teachers and curriculum developers. The major features of five approaches to values education are…

Maintains that teachers must act a clear role or roles when discussing controversial issues. Discusses the various roles a teacher may assume, including presiding judge, determined advocate, nurturant facilitator, and socratic cross-examiner. Suggests which scenarios may work best with different roles. (MJP)