How to evaluate and judge when the moral-educational dimension of instruction is concerned?

Abstract

The text examines the question of what value framework moral education in the public school of a democratic, multicultural society can legitimately rely on. The Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia and education legislation establish the concept of human rights (and duties) as the fundamental ethical and legal norm in Slovenia. From the aspect of legality and legitimacy, the concept has been established as the normative basis that must also be followed with regard to moral education in public schools. The author argues (and provides two practical cases as illustrations) that the right of parents to educate their children in accordance with their religiousor philosophical beliefs does not require public school to avoid addressing “contentious” topics, although theymay cause children moral distress. The only thing that public school must ensure is for knowledge to be transmitted objectively, critically, and pluralistically, and guarantee that there is nothing that could lead to indoctrination. This means that school and teachers must not impose any views on children about which people differ or require them to identify with a particular viewpoint. Rather, they must express the differences very clearly and allow for the co-existence of and respect for different views.