Sixty years after the International Military Tribunal opened in Nuremberg to try "major war criminals", how should soldiers learn not to follow clearly illegal or unconscionable orders? Following the Charter of the International Military Tribunal, judges during the Nuremberg Trials rejected defendants' efforts to avoid punishment on the basis of…

Implementation of civic education in the schools of a pluralistic society poses a challenge to preserve our traditions and to present prototypes for the future. Rawls's social philosophy, the cornerstone of which is the concept of justice, is both in agreement with our basic traditions and a model for our society. (Author/GC)

Transcribes a conversation between Dieter Misgeld and Abraham Magendzo on human rights education. Misgeld envisions a moral climate based on the preservation of human rights while Magendzo articulates a vision of human rights education to produce democratic institutions and moral practice. Both call for a political analysis of moral education.…

Presents the case for reconceptualizing citizenship education as a type of moral education. Describes the debate between cosmopolitans and nationalists in order to clarify questions and issues relevant to educators. Argues that teaching students/future citizens about moral disagreement and conflict is a way to prepare them to participate…

Promotes teaching human rights at every educational level in conjunction with the United Nations-declared Human Rights Year. Provides World Wide Web addresses for resources on human rights and the Human Rights Year, including the United Nations and Amnesty International. Summarizes UN-suggested guidelines for human rights commemoration…

Discusses community and morality in an international context, recommending a transnational ethic grounded in international custom and agreement and noting that the Nuremberg Obligation provides a foundation for such an ethic. The paper maintains that this ethic provides the moral foundation for a civic education cognizant of global…

Argues that medicine's standard of conduct can be applied to the formation of ethical standards for practices and policies in higher education. Offers sources for developing a standard of care for college students based on the body of research on traditional-age undergraduate students. Compares medicine's "tele-medicine" with higher education's…

Asserts that, after reviewing current literature on civic education and reading William J. Bennett's "The Book of Virtues," students should learn more about the values, virtues, and literature that has had a positive influence on society. Concludes that the diminished common core of knowledge and values has had a negative impact on…

Examines the importance of civic education in holding students to higher accountability. Urges teachers to examine the National Standards for Civic Education. Suggests that helping prepare good citizens is a worthy national education goal that requires involvement by the entire community to help educate everyone, but especially children, to be…

Argues that law-related education should move beyond teaching the mechanics and issues of government and include those concepts of civic virtue incorporated within democracy. Notes that students need philosophical and moral content as well as experiential learning. (MJP)

Presents the National Council for the Social Studies' position paper on character education. Calls for a renewed effort by social studies educators, schools, and communities to teach character and civic virtue. Argues that students must be offered a combination of instruction and guidance on civic virtue to counter increasing indifference. (MJP)

Asserts that character education in the schools should be framed by the civic principles of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Paraphrases these principles as "rights, responsibilities, and respect." Addresses parental misgivings about possible religious content and conflict. (MJP)

Addressing the problems of increasing antisocial behavior, declining civility, and decaying morals, this book contains a collection of essays that consider the origins and the development of America's character, the factors that influence it, and the consequences for society of inadequate character development. Essays include the following: "The…