Ethical Reasoning of U.S. High School Seniors Exploring Just Versus Unjust Laws

Abstract

Because a pluralistic democracy is inherently conflictual, public deliberation of issues holds the potential to expand the thinking of participants by revealing new insights, perspectives, information, or logics into the participants’ consideration. These are ethical questions that ask citizens to decide whether policies, actions, and decisions are “right” or “wrong.” The Persistent Issues in History (PIH) Network (www.pihnet.org) is a decade-long professional development community of practice encouraging, modeling, and supporting teachers in increasing inquiry-based social studies teaching. For this qualitative study, we created a professional community of practice including 4 U.S. government teachers, a university researcher, and a political science professor. This team created lessons enabling high school seniors to dissect and apply Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail to 3 specific scenarios to explore the students’ moral reasoning on just versus unjust laws.

Keywords:

• moral development
• ethical reasoning
• civic education
• professional development
• discussion
• controversial issues
• gender

Notes

1. ¹All names are pseudonyms.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jada Kohlmeier

JADA KOHLMEIER is an Associate Professor of Secondary Social Sciences Education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849. She can be contacted at [email protected].

John W. Saye

JOHN W. SAYE is a Professor of Secondary Social Sciences Education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849. He can be contacted at [email protected].