New Era University

College of Criminology

Who is responsible for the Moral ethics of children, Parents or teachers?

Cyrill D. Ligtas

Jam S. Rogador

Johneric A. Rosal

Kenneth G. Romero

Khyrone B. Dipad

Lem L. Tañola

Prince Arjay C. Junio

Robert A. Evangelista

BS Crim

CCR 3-B3

Professor Loreto Dela Vega

December 12, 2022

 Table of Contents

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………. 1

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….. 1

Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………. 2

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………. 3

Recommendation……………………………………………………………………………. 4

Definition of terms…………………………………………………………………………… 5

References.…………………………………………………………………………………… 6
 Abstract

This term paper is answering the question “Who is responsible for the
Moral ethics of children, Parents or teachers?”.
 Introduction

Morals and ethics are two different sets of values. Generally speaking, the

difference between the two is that ethics are what a community considers to be right

and wrong, and morals are what an individual considers to be good and bad or evil.

Moral values pave the path for all their decisions in life, as without these values,

children do not have any guidance and their life may seem directionless. In order to be

accepted and respected by society, parents and caregivers should make sure of

imbibing these strong moral values in children as a lifestyle itself.

Most people think that a teacher's sole responsibility is to impart knowledge in

the classroom. Yes, but imparting knowledge or facilitating learning is only one

responsibility of teachers. In an age where parents are increasingly shirking their

responsibilities in bringing up children, it is also the teacher's responsibility to assist in

developing the desirable characteristics or moral values of students.

A Chinese teacher in Taiwan once remarked to me that there are no bad

students, only bad teachers. I have thought long and hard about this statement and

have concluded that it is true. When children are born, they have no manners and a

general sense of what is right and wrong. Good, loving parents will teach a child the

difference between right and wrong and develop other desirable characteristics such as

good manners and honesty.

 But what if parents don't teach their children? Can we say, therefore, that kids

are bad because they have no desirable characteristics? No, we can't. It is the

responsibility of the teacher to inculcate desirable characteristics into the education of

students. If the teacher fails to even try to do this, he or she is a bad teacher.
 Overview

Morals are what you believe to be right and wrong. Your morals are your ideas

about right and wrong, especially how you should act and treat other people. Most

people would agree that thieves, murderers, and other criminals are lacking morals. A

lot of people would say politicians could use some morals as well. Every person has a

slightly different set of morals, and different cultures have their own morals as well. You

probably get your morals from a combination of your parents, your teachers, your

culture, and your religion.

Ethics are a system of moral principles or rules that say what is and is not

acceptable.

Generally speaking, ethics refer to the rules or code of conduct that people use

to determine when an action is acceptable or not. Often, a person’s ethics are based on

the rules of their society, such as laws or religious teachings. A society’s ethics might

say that it is wrong to steal from someone else.

In philosophy, the word ethics is used to mean the study of what makes a person

decide what is right and wrong. Philosophers often use the word morality to mean the

same thing.

Moral values are the building blocks of personality that help in building the better

character of people.
 It is absolutely important to teach moral values in students because it is then that

they take their first steps towards life, and it matters that they do it right. These moral

values shape their attitudes, beliefs, and ideas and help them develop into undeterred

and morally strong individuals.

Remember that it is our role as parents and caregivers to put our time and effort into

imbibing these values in our children, as it is from their parents and teachers that

children are inspired the most.

Children are extremely good observers and they follow what they see, so it is by

role modeling that you can pass on this priceless treasure of virtues to your children

who will, in turn, pass it on to the generations to come, to ultimately make the world a

better place.

What is Morality?
Morality is viewed as the “system of rules that regulate the social interactions and social

relationships of individuals within societies and based on concepts of welfare (harm),

trust, justice (comparative treatment and distribution) and rights' ' (Smetana 1999). This

is how humans determine their actions based on their cognitive abilities to interpret a

social situation. Issues of reasoning, problem solving skills, self-control and adaptability

are components in exhibiting key components of the moral process. For some

individuals, issues of values, personal feelings and social norms are constructs for

discussion and therefore can be seen as being influenced by the way in which morality

is taught or experienced in schools, churches and other social institution settings. In

order to fully understand the development of morals, one has to consider the various

domains that exist within the morality framework. For many, it is seen as a part of

nature; others contend that it is a process of behavior development. From the

naturalistic point of view, one sees moral development stemming from a developmental

perspective in that morality is conceived through how children think, behave and feel

about rules and regulations set forth within their world as a result of natural

consequences (Campbell-Bishop 2003).The moral thought theorists perceive moral

development through a set of stages that build skills and then translate into global

perspective of the child. The moral behavioral approach contends that reinforcement,

punishment, imitation and situational presentation are factors that contribute to the

moral development of human beings. Issues of self-control and cognitive capabilities

play a key role in the moral behavioral school of thought. All of these approaches

connect to one assumption: that certain factors influence moral development of the
individual. It is the focus of this paper to explore these factors that are responsible for

the moral development of the individual.

Who is Responsible for the Child’s Moral Education?

Although socialization theorists have viewed moral internalization as stemming primarily

from parents' influence on their children through their parenting practices, structural-

developmental theorists generally have proposed that the hierarchical nature of parent-

child relationships constraint children’s moral development. This has led to the

predominant focus on the formative role of peers and social institutions such as schools

in moral reasoning development and relative neglect of the role of the family

(Smetana2004).Talking about who is responsible for the moral education of the child,

Pakarsky (1998) “The Role Of Culture in Moral Development in Journal of Parenthood

in America) recognized the role of culture above other variables in the moral education

of the child. He opines that a dogmatic conviction that schools are adequate to the

challenge of making moral sensibilities and disposition into the child is inappropriate.

Tigay,H.Z. quoted in Smetana (2004) on the other hand in addition to the roles of

schools and parents in moral development of the child has also emphasized the role of

religious institutions. Tigayin fact is of the opinion that the religious bodies have a major

part to play in the moral education of the child than any of the other agents. With These

divergent views as expressed by authors, an attempt is made from hence, to begin to

look at the roles of each of these agents in the moral development of the child.
The Role of parents in the Moral Education of the Child

Most children ages 5 or 6 have developed basic components of conscience, a sense of

guilt,the ability to distinguish between right and wrong and the capability to be empathic.

But none of these elements of a child’s moral development will become fully functional

for years (Danielson1998). This in-between period is the ideal time forlaying a solid

moral foundation in the child and the group of adults that are best suited for these jobs

are the parents (who are being referred to as the first moral teachers and role models

that young children have). “At this early age, parents have the opportunity of teaching

respect for life and for others to the child… This teaching usually occurs as parents

explain and reason with their children.” (Danielson 1998).Parents provide the most

constant and variable models of behaviors associated with character development, they

also help by identifying other models of the character traits they want their children to

develop and by raising appropriate character-related issues in discussions of daily

events. Parents also assist by exposure to examples of behaviors that negate their own

views of positive values and virtues. The approach used by parents has the greatest

impact on how the child and parents yield a more productive environment to receive

information pertaining to moral issues. The yielding to moral teaching is based primarily

on the reactionary process of the care given through the level of affect presented by the

adult. This in turn brings the moral and social message to the child in a more concrete

fashion. As with anything in the developmental life span, too much or not enough of

something can create adverse or opposite effects which may not be the intervention of

the caregiver. Therefore, the level of moral development within the adult contributes to

the internalization of the moral concept. A great deal of research suggests that the
quality of the parent-child bond and the degree of warmth in the parent-child relationship

affect many facets of children’s development (Bretherton and Waters 1985). Indeed,

one of the most consistent findings from research examining the family interactions that

facilitate Kohlbergian Moral reasoning stages is that the affective components or those

interactions, such as parental warmth, involvement and support are related to moral

reasoning development (Hart 1988; Powers1988; Walker and Taylor 1991). Therefore,

a warm, supportive bond between parents and children may enhance the likelihood that

children are motivated to listen to and respond to parental messages. In furtherance,

parental affective reactions in conjunction with reasoning may facilitate moral and social

rules. Research by Arsemo reviewed by Arsenio and Lover (1995) has shown that

children may employ affective response to transgression, understand, differentiate and

renumber moral and social reverb. Indeed, previous research indicates that material

responses to moral transgressions accompanied by intense feelings lead to greater

reparation among children than when cognitive messages are not so embellished

(Grusec et al. 1982; Zalun-Waxler et al. 1979). Parents are more likely to employ

negative effects, including dramatizations of distress. Zahu-Waxler and Chapman

(1982) andgreater anger Grusec et al. (1982) in response to moral than other

transgressions. Such affective responses used in conjunction with explanations that

focus on the welfare of others will increase effective reasoning because it will help the

children to focus on the harm or injustice they have caused and make amends or desire

to make amends. One must not hesitate to mention here however, that research also

indicates that there are optional levels or affective arousal, too much anger may be

negatively arousing and therefore may inhibit children’s focus on other feelings. There is
also an important cognitive component to parents’ interaction with their children that

may facilitate children’s moral development. Parents’ communication with their children

is one aspect of children’s social 153 MORAL EDUCATION OF THE CHILD: WHOSE

RESPONSIBILITY? experiences that may be used in the construction of moral

knowledge. By explaining the reason for rules and responding appropriately to moral

violation, parents can facilitate moral development by stimulating children to think

reflectively about their actions. This assertion implies that the more explicit parents are

about the nature of the event and why a behavior is expected or a misdeed is wrong,

the more effective such messages might be, particularly for young children. (Though

there are situations where and when more indirect approaches may be more effective

(Grusec andGoodness 1994).This suggests, in turn, that reasoning, explanation and

rationale will be more effective than other types of disciplinary strategies in facilitating

children moral development as well as developmment in other domains. More

specifically, to effectively facilitate moral development, parents have to explain moral

rules as well as responses to moral violation by weighing the consequences of the acts

for others rights and welfare support for this assertion has been found in previous

research, which indicates that parental reasoning and in particular, other-oriented

reasoning (Holfman 1970) is associated with greater moral internalization and the

development of concern for others. Summarily, parents are vital in the moral

development of the child because they are the first moral teachers and role models that

young people have (Danielson, 1998). This they do by providing the necessary affective

relationship and extensive interactions that facilitates moral development. Parents’

responses to children's transgressions and moral disputes and their explanations of the

reasons for rules and expectations may facilitate children’s moral development.
Conclusion

Moral education can be defined as a type of teaching through which

children grow up to become good, civic, mannered, healthy, non-bullying, successful,

behaved, and socially acceptable. Moral education is a very old field, possibly as old as

education itself. Moral education has been a source of interest since the time of the

early Greek thinkers. However, the emphasis on moral education did not begin until the

emphasis on science and technology increased. Moral education is important for a

variety of reasons. Some of these reasons include learning to make decisions, being

alert, and taking responsibility. In conclusion, the responsibility for the moral ethics of

children falls on both parents and teachers. Parents are the primary role models for their

children and are responsible for teaching and instilling moral values from a young age.

This includes setting a good example by acting in a moral and ethical manner, as well

as actively teaching and discussing moral principles and decision-making with their

children.

At the same time, teachers also play an important role in the moral development of

children. Teachers serve as an additional source of guidance and support, and can help

to reinforce the values that children learn at home. Teachers also have the unique

opportunity to provide a diverse range of perspectives and experiences, which can help

children to understand the complexities of moral decision-making and to develop their

own moral compass.

Ultimately, the moral ethics of children are the product of both parents and teachers

working together to provide a consistent and supportive environment for moral growth.

This requires a strong partnership between parents and teachers, as well as a shared

commitment to teaching and promoting moral values in children. By working together,

parents and teachers can help to nurture the next generation of morally responsible and

ethical individuals.
Recommendation

Based on the study about "Who is responsible for the moral ethics of children: parents

or teachers?" the researchers hereby recommend the following: Parents must assist

their children in developing moral ethics. Additionally, gratitude, honesty, sharing,

respect, cooperation, and compassion are some of the most important moral values that

a child should have, and they must be practiced at home, and they must be guided by

their parents. Having home activities, such as play time with children and parents, that

include sharing moral experiences, cooperation, and good behavior would really help to

inculcate the moral values of children. Parents and educators have a big impact on

helping children learn moral ethics. With that in mind, it is recommended to have a

school seminar about moral values that must be attended by teachers, parents, and

their children. Furthermore, the researchers advocate for a school program called

"Parent-Teacher Association" to help children grow and monitor their moral values.

Finally, more research is needed to determine who is responsible for children's moral

ethics, whether it is the parents or teachers who are empirically supported and capable

of taking appropriate action regarding children's moral values.

Definition of Terms

Moral - Morality is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those

that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper.

Ethics - Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves

systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".

The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns matter of value; these fields

comprise the branch of philosophy called axiology.

Moral Values - Moral values are defined as guidelines that assist a person in deciding

between right and wrong. In order to create honest, credible, and fair judgments and

relationships in daily life, the awareness of one's morals - along with self-awareness - is

crucial.

Imparting - to give, convey, or grant from or as if from a store.

Adaptability - Adaptability is a soft skill that means you easily adjust to changing

circumstances.

Naturalistic - naturalism is the idea or belief that only natural laws and forces operate in

the universe. According to philosopher Steven Lockwood, naturalism can be separated

into an ontological sense and a methodological sense. "Ontological" refers to ontology,

the philosophical study of what exists.

Stemming- Stemming is a technique used to extract the base form of the words by

removing affixes from them.

Socialization - the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (or

society) and behave in a manner approved by the group (or society).

Constraint - A constraint is something that limits or controls what you can do. Their

decision to abandon the trip was made because of financial constraints.

Predominant - having superior strength, influence, or authority: prevailing. : being most

frequent or common.

Opines - to have or express an opinion

Dogmative - If you say that someone is dogmatic, you are critical of them because they

are convinced that they are right, and refuse to consider that other opinions might also

be justified.

Adequate - sufficient for a specific need or requirement. adequate time. an amount of

money adequate to supply their needs. also: good enough: of a quality that is good or

acceptable.

Divergent - moving or extending in different directions from a common point

Emphatic - uttered with or marked by emphasis. an emphatic refusal. : tending to

express oneself in forceful speech or to take decisive action.

Adverse - acting against or in a contrary direction

Facets - one part of a subject, situation, etc. that has many parts:

Embellished - to make beautiful with ornamentation

Arousal - Arousal is the feeling of being turned on sexually. When you're turned on,

your body experiences physical and emotional changes.

Assertion - Basic Assertion Simple expression of standing up for personal rights,

beliefs, feelings or opinions.

Complexities - Complexity is the state of having many different parts connected or

related to each other in a complicated

References

Morals - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/morals

Ethics Definition & Meaning

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/ethics

What is the importance of moral values in student life?

https://sherwoodhigh.com/blogs/what-is-the-importance-of-moral-values-in-
student-life/

Responsibility of a Teacher: Developing the Moral Values of Students

Kuehn
https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/Responsibility-of-a-Teacher-Developing-The-
Desirable-Characteristics-of-Students

(PDF) Moral Education of the Child Whose Responsibility? - ResearchGate

This paper examines the moral education of the child with a critical attention paid to the
allocation of responsibility. The paper tried to answer the question: ‘Who gives the child
his...
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
259080441_Moral_Education_of_the_Child_Whose...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics
https://www.invictus.edu.kh/news/10-important-moral-values-for-students#:~:text=Moral
%20values%20are%20defined%20as,self%2Dawareness%20%2D%20is%20crucial.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impart
https://www.theforage.com/blog/skills/adaptability
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalism_(philosophy)
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/natural_language_toolkit/
natural_language_toolkit_stemming_lemmatization.htm
https://www.britannica.com/science/socialization
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/constraint
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predominant
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opine
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dogmatic
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/divergent
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emphatic
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adverse
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embellish
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sex-pleasure-and-sexual-dysfunction/sex-
and-pleasure/arousal#:~:text=Arousal%20is%20the%20feeling%20of,experiences
%20physical%20and%20emotional%20changes.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/complexity