Is There a Place for Ethics and Character in a Free Market? The National Council on Economic Education unveils The Ethical Foundations of Economics

New York City, NY (PRWeb) February 23, 2007 -- Fallout from recent business scandals demonstrates that unethical behavior imposes long-term costs on business, negatively impacts public trust and ultimately hinders the formation of social capital. But it is still possible, indeed essential, to instill ethical inquiry and character development into economics education.

The National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) announced today The Ethical Foundations of Economics, the first national program of curricular materials for high school students that breaks new ground by infusing questions about ethics and character in the study of the market economy. Finally, the teaching of free markets will have an ethical dimension, and this will happen in the first, and in many cases only, economics course students will take.

"Economics classrooms have generally disregarded the ethical dimensions of human choices," Says Dr. Robert Duvall, President and CEO of the NCEE. "Infusing ethical and moral dimensions into economics can not wait until students attend college. Only 63 percent of high school students go on to college, and only 40 percent of these students take an economics course. High school economics teachers and their students are the focus of this curriculum, and the NCEE is the only organization with the capacity to reach these teachers. Likewise, the cultivation of individual character and virtuous conduct is essential for the advancement of society and the soundness of markets."

The Ethical Foundations of Economics includes thought-provoking lesson plans such as, Should Corporations Be Ethical? Should Human Organs Be Sold in a Market? Who Should Have Access To Health Care? These provocative questions instill critical thinking skills, and asks students to explore and understand public-policy problems, social responsibility, and efficiency issues. The Ethical Foundations of Economics gives students the ability to deal with real-world problems.

"The Ethical Foundations of Economics introduces students to an old idea--that market success is based on moral foundations--in a new and engaging format. The John Templeton Foundation is pleased to support NCEE's work to address a major gap in High School economics curricula," adds Kimon Sargeant, Vice President of Human Sciences at the Templeton Foundation.

With funding from The John Templeton Foundation, the NCEE will train nearly 2,500 teachers at workshops conducted by NCEE's affiliated state Councils and university Centers for Economic Education, who will then in turn go on to train thousands of other teachers in their local areas. The publication and dissemination of The Ethical Foundations of Economics will help transform the high school economics course, having the potential to benefit the two million students each year who are taught economics.

The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life's biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity. For more information on the John Templeton Foundation, visit their website at www.templeton.org.

The NCEE is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to improving economic and financial literacy. Both directly and through its unique nationwide network of State Councils and more than 200 university-based Centers for Economic Education, NCEE's programs reach over 150,000 K-12 teachers and more than 15 million students each year. For more information about the NCEE and The Ethical Foundations of Economics, visit their website at www.ncee.net.

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