Summarised by Centrist
New Zealand school students are among the most disrespectful, violent and poorly behaved students in the OECD, writes Educator and writer Caleb Anderson.
Anderson pins the grim observation regarding the alarming behaviour of students on two primary factors: the absence of a coherent set of values being taught and the state’s eagerness to fill this void with its own ideologies.
Values, according to Anderson, play a crucial role in guiding individuals, providing a moral compass, and fostering a sense of decency, responsibility, and duty.
However, he observes a growing trend where young people lack a well-defined sense of what it means to be decent or morally upright.
The societal shift towards prioritising personal feelings, equity, and justice over traditional values has led to increased risk-taking, anxiety, and anger among the youth.
Anderson argues that the wisdom passed down through generations, once anchored in values like the Ten Commandments (even amongst the non religious), has been replaced by a void, leaving young people adrift and lacking resilience.
According to Anderson, caregivers must instil values, enforce reasonable expectations, and prioritise personal sacrifice over personal gain in parenting, schools, and society at large.
Anderson’s message is a call to action for society to prioritise values education and guide young people towards a more morally grounded and resilient future.
