Youth must be given a more moral education
By Chuing Prudence
Chou ©P¯¬·ë
Saturday, Jun 17, 2006, Page 8
Of the recent scandal allegations against the first family,
the disgraceful conduct of President Chen Shui-bian's (³¯¤ô«ó) son-in-law Chao
Chien-ming (»¯«Ø»Ê) and Chao's father Chao Yu-chu (»¯¥É¬W), is perhaps the most
heartrending. Although their case is complex, with important details still
pending, a central question arises nonetheless: Why did such a respected, elite
family abandon their scruples so utterly?
Chao Chien-ming, a respected doctor, was an exceptional
student in his youth, embodying the boy wonder image that Taiwanese parents
obsess over. As for Chao Yu-chu, he worked his way up to become an elementary
school principal -- a testament to his hard work and dedication, which others
have struggled to emulate.
The Chao family epitomized all that was decent and admirable
in elite southern Taiwanese families. Chao Chien-ming's parents were both
teachers held in high esteem. Chao and his brother both attended medical school
at National Taiwan University, the nation's most prestigious medical
institution; they both graduated and became
respected physicians.
How is it that such a revered family, after becoming the
first
family's in-laws, suddenly lost their values? Is this a reflection of pervasive
apathy in our society? Ethics have fallen prey to dysfunctional modes of
education, both in the home and at school, and we need to thoroughly examine
this phenomenon.
According to local media reports, Chao Yu-chu is one of the
few elementary school principals in Tainan County who owns a Mercedes Benz. How
has his flaunting his wealth impacted on his school and his
community in general? Nobody has dared to call attention to his profligate
lifestyle.
What's wrong with our society when a paragon of ethical
standards suddenly starts worshipping money? What is truly bizarre is Chao
Yu-chu's ability to wield political power well after his retirement as
principal, interfering with the appointments of school principals and spawning a
"Chao Yu-chu phenomena" that mocked government authority.
Was Chao Chien-ming -- the president's son-in-law and a
physician -- fundamentally warped and ruined by things he saw and heard in his
youth? Certainly, a school system that stresses quantifiable performance such as
test scores at the expense of nurturing students' emotional and moral
development, did not help Chao. And the problems resulting from Chao's and his
father's greed will not end here. Taiwanese parents seem to be concerned only
with how their children position themselves as adults to secure coveted posts
and a good marriage.
Many parents are only intent on sharpening their children's
skills, utterly neglecting the emotional skills and savvy that young people also
need to succeed in life -- such as the ability to be introspective and have a
firm moral grounding.
Faced with such a phenomenon, we need to search our souls and
consider how to reinforce the core values and moral standards of the nation.
Currently, the development of moral standards among our youth can be best
characterized by the US psychologist Lawrence Hohlberg's description of
obedience as compelled by the threat, or the actual application, of punishment.
As for critical problem-solving skills and approaching
morality on its own terms for its own sake -- ie, not because of the threat of
punishment -- our educational system does not do enough to address these issues.
However, it is never too late to take precautionary measures.
The moral crisis triggered by the Chao family has compelled us to re-consider
issues pertaining to personal and moral development that have been long
neglected in our educational system. All parents and educators should give
serious thought to this issue.
(Chuing Prudence Chou is a
professor in the department of education at National Chengchi University.)
Translated by Daniel Cheng
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