There is no question that children and teenagers need to be taught ethical behavior. Studies show that many young people display unethical behavior towards adults, towards leaders, and even towards each other. Many feel that cheating on tests is not immoral, that finding a wallet filled with money is a matter of finders keepers and loosers weepers, that pirating CDs and DVDs is okay, and that driving while telephoning/texting/drinking/kissing is not a problem. Certainly not all young people would accept these behaviors, but, unfortunately, many do.
As a retired junior high and high school teacher, I have experienced the thought processes of many teens who would find no immorality in any of the behaviors mentioned here. Pirating is okay, they reason, because the companies that own the copyrights have lots of money. If someone is careless enough to lose a wallet full of money, they don't deserve to have the money. Driving while distracted is okay because they think they can handle the situation. And cheating on tests? Well, tests are silly in the first place. What counts is the grade, not what you learn.
Although there is no question that our children need some kind of moral training, there are questions about how it should be done and who should do it. Is it the responsibility of parents? The schools? Government?
Parents who have their own issues with ethics might not be in a position to train their children in what is right and wrong. A parent who cheats on his or her income tax, or who pockets items from a local store, or who regularly drives over the speed limit is not the one to teach children ethical behavior. Public schools also have difficulties in accepting the role of moral teacher, since educators themselves sometimes struggle with issues of ethics and morality. Some might argue that government is so deeply entrenched in unethical activities that it would be impossible for it to encourage ethical behavior in others.
In other generations, the role of teacher of morality was given to religion, to the churches. Children in Sunday School were taught the Ten Commandments which identify as wrong many actions common today, such as adultery, stealing and coveting. Children were taught that enethical and immoral behavior has consequences. Stealing could lead to a jail sentence. Adultery might bring an unwanted child into the world, or a sexually transmitted disease into one's body.
Until our society is willing to once again admit that bad behavior brings bad consequences, it will be difficult to convince our children and youth that good behavior and the good consequences it brings are preferable. Television and movies regularly show that the bad guy gets what he wants while the good guy is his powerless and weak victim. Who wants to be a poweless and weak victim? Major changes are needed in our "me first" culture if we are ever to be able to teach ethics to our young again.