PRINCIPAL
14 Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ( 2020 ) ‘ Morality : Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times ’. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd : London . ( p . 18 ). 15 Kristjan Kristjansson , ( 2015 ). Aristotelian Character Education . Routledge : Oxon , ( p . 6 ). 16 James Arthur , Kristjan Kristjansson , Tom Harrison , Wouter Sanderse & Daniel Wright ( 2017 ). Teaching Character and Virtue in Schools . Routledge : Oxfordshire , ( p . 55 ). 17 Kristjan Kristjansson , ( 2015 ). Aristotelian Character Education . Routledge : Oxon , ( p . 178 ). 18 Arthur et al ., op cit ., ( p . 68 ). 19 Kristjan Kristjansson , ( 2015 ). Aristotelian Character Education . Routledge : Oxon , ( p . 50 ). 20 ibid ., ( p . 13 ). 21 ibid ., ( p . 16 ) 22 ibid ., ( p . 103 ) 23 Carr , D . ( 2012 ) Educating the Virtues : Essay on the philosophical psychology of moral development and education . London : Routledge . into a powerful set of naturalistic political assumptions , affections , and practices . It uncritically initiates children into secular ways of thinking by using secular categories of explanation that exclude or ignore alternatives . The secular person educated within this system has no other end than their own chosen desires which renders the ‘ secular ’ synonymous with arbitrariness and informs modern consumerism and its attendant hyper-liberalism . It goes hand in hand with relativism , with the rejection of metaphysics , and the concept of truth itself . Secular education can also be informed by an ideology that privileges impersonal , deterministic forces at the expense of moral agency . It can leave the young feeling hollow and leading atomised lives . This secular education is not neutral or benign because it shows partiality to a non-religious relativistic outlook and should therefore be viewed as illiberal .
When I started school in the ’ 70s , my public school started the day with prayers . Today we are told that in a public-school setting , such activity would not be inclusive . Under the banner of inclusiveness , the West has largely lost its cultural heritage , and secularism has managed to implant itself as an overarching ideology , or worldview .
Are we better off ? Today our society suffers from a pandemic of loneliness . Likewise , mental health is a plague that does not discriminate , and youth suicide continues to wreak havoc on our young and their families . However , sadly , we shouldn ’ t be surprised , as noted by Rabbi Sacks 14 , Emile Durkheim way back in the 1890s stated that ‘ in a society in which there was no anomie – the absence of a shared moral code – there would be a rise in the rate of suicides ’.
Liberalism ’ s great claim was that of individual liberty . In walking away from the moral foundations that provided boundaries for our society , today , as we reflect on the legacy of Liberalism , we see people more enslaved than perhaps at any time in history ; enslaved to technology , devices , screens , mental health , addictions , consumerism and consumption . Many in our society are struggling and are not well .
So , how do we respond ? How can we unite to continue Scotch ’ s journey ?
I believe we are blessed with our rich heritage . The principles of hard work , personal responsibility , service and enterprise arising from the Scottish Enlightenment provide a strong compass for our school . Our Christian heritage , our responsibility to serve , love others and develop personal qualities such as humility , integrity and kindness equally provide the right foundation for our community and importantly , for our boys to flourish . In exploring the impacts of Liberalism on our society , I believe our focus on forming men of good
character is critically important – perhaps more important than ever .
Earlier in this article I asked the question , what is it that unites the Scotch Family ? Having explored some of the issues that I believe have brought so much harm to our society , I would now like to present how , through a focus on character formation , the Scotch Family can be united in our journey of supporting and equipping our boys to flourish in our world , and ultimately , live a good life .
FORMING MEN OF CHARACTER
In more recent years , across many western countries , Character Education has had a resurgence . Perhaps it has emerged from what I have already outlined above ; a concern that our society appears to be drifting from the foundation that has served us for centuries . In retaining our focus on providing a holistic education , we know that studies demonstrate the benefits of Character Education programs upon student wellbeing and academic outcomes . Indeed , I am a strong believer that positive wellbeing follows a holistic focus on forming character .
Significantly , Character Education is not new . Aristotle spoke about the importance of character , virtues , and human flourishing millennia ago , and scholars note that the history of schooling from ancient to modern times shows that character has typically been given pride of place . Comenius , often regarded as the father of education , writing in the 17th century , noted that ‘ he who makes progress in knowledge but not in morality … recedes rather than advances ’ 15 .
Character formation is not new for Scotch either . In reading our Memorandum and Articles of Association , it is in fact a requirement for the College to provide for all students :
An education of humane , scientific and general nature consistent with the teachings of Christianity and to encourage each student to achieve the highest standard of which he is capable in all his activities and the full development of the personality and sense of responsibility of each student and respect for others and capacity to work with them so as to promote the development of Christian ideals of citizenship , personal character and a spirit of reverence in the entire life and work of the College .
According to leading scholars , to ‘ engage in Character education means to shape and even to interfere with students ’ moral development ’ 16 . In conceptualising Character Education , one leading scholar described it as ‘ an umbrella term for any form of moral education that foregrounds the role of virtuous character in the good life ’ 17 .
8 Great Scot Issue 172 – Edition 2 2024