Ethics and values in education

Kurzfassung/Abstract

This chapter offers an introduction to ethics, or moral philosophy, in education in particular. It constitutes an invitation to think about ethics, the nature of morality and moral judgements, about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ in particular situations, and about the kinds of persons we should be. Every one of us, whoever we are and whatever we do, has to make decisions that involve moral judgment and ethical considerations on a daily basis. This chapter is meant to provide you with certain philosophical tools with which to understand what is or is not ethical in educational matters, and even to interrogate the very standards employed by the Code of Conduct of the South African Council of Educators (SACE).