SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Schools Plan to Add Ethics to Curriculum

The Capistrano Unified School District board has decided to pursue an ethics curriculum.

The district plans to send out a survey to parents, teachers, clergy, business leaders and others, seeking feedback about what the community believes should be taught. Students’ opinions also will be gauged.

Trustees gave initial approval to the idea Monday, saying it should be a separate curriculum in all grade levels.

It will take about a year to shape the curriculum, built around seven core values. Some examples might be things such as honesty, respect, trust, tolerance, courage or responsibility. A staff report lists 22 choices.

“We need to have broad consensus,” said Supt. James A. Fleming, who noted that adopting an ethics curriculum was part of the district’s long-range plan, Capistrano 2000.

Trustees said the district has not failed to underscore values but was taking a step to make them a specialized area of study.

Barbara Smith, assistant superintendent of instructional services, told trustees that a 1992 national poll showed that people wanted values taught almost as much as reading, writing and arithmetic.

Smith said that a random targeted sampling of opinions for the curriculum would be less expensive than the estimated $400,000 to reach every household served by the district.

Board President Paul B. Haseman said the district would not stop trying to promote values that do not make the final seven.

“It doesn’t mean that we are ignoring the others,” Haseman said.