Year 5 and 6 students will shortly be able to attend classes on ‘ethical discussions’ that are being introduced on a trial basis in ten NSW government schools across Sydney. These schools include Haberfield, Darlinghurst, Crown Street, Leichhardt and Hurstville. In April students at these schools who do not currently attend scripture lessons can participate in classes on ethics instead.

The trial will be funded and run by the St James Ethics Centre and will last for ten weeks. Volunteer parents will conduct each lesson.

One of the lessons covers ‘lying’ and students will look at particular cases and determine when it is acceptable to lie and why one lie is more or less acceptable than another.

The topics covered are:
1.   Moral dilemmas
2.   Fairness
3.   Lying
4.   Ethical principals
5.   Graffiti
6.   Use and abuse of animals
7.   Interfering with nature
8.   Vices and virtues
9.   Children’s rights
10. How to have a good life

Helen Walton of the NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens’ Associations said parents were excited about the new scheme.
“They’re things that kids probably already have some knowledge of, but it’s probably not something they’ve ever thought about,” she said.

“What this will allow them to do is articulate their beliefs and look at the fact that not everybody agrees and that people who disagree, have got valid reasons.”

An independent committee funded by the State Government will then conduct a review to see if the lessons should become a regular ongoing part of the school curriculum.

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha

See details of all the ethics lesson plans here

Find out more about the St James Ethics Centre here