“Ethics is a verb.” When Kaia Stern ’90 said this, she was evoking one of our foundational beliefs: ethics cannot exist solely as an idea or a sentiment; we must put our values into action.
We nurture our students’ capacity for morality and empathy, helping provide the framework and knowledge necessary to live an ethical life. We teach our students how to think critically and then act with compassion. We teach our students to ask, How am I contributing? and Is this right? We teach our students to confront questions of power and privilege and who gets to tell their story. We lean into difficult conversations.
Ethics in Our Curriculum
Throughout our curriculum, both teachers and students are encouraged to broaden their worldviews, question the status quo, and practice ethical decision-making.
In “Ethical Issues in Science,” 11th and 12th Graders explore the role that science plays in how we make personal and political decisions. Each year, the curriculum is determined in part by the students: they choose which core topics to focus on based on articles they’ve read or news they’ve watched. They debate the issue from all sides, paying close attention to which values are at stake and who the stakeholders are.
Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and malign, but stories can also be used to empower, and humanize.
Chimamanda Adichie
Embodying Ethics in the Classroom
Combining the study of English, history, and ethics is an interdisciplinary course called “Freedom,” which asks students to confront what it means to be an American and what it means to be free. 10th graders in this team-taught course are encouraged to embrace the tensions that emerge from these questions — whether found in works of literature by Nathaniel Hawthorne or Toni Morrison, or as seen through the lens of American history.
Our community spends time throughout the year tackling ethical issues head-on in small-group and community-wide sessions. We suspend our normal schedule to give us the time and space needed to examine issues of local, national, or global importance.
One of these programs, called Modified Awareness Days, allows us to discuss the themes of a shared book. In 2017, Angie Thomas visited Fieldston Upper after students read her book “The Hate U Give;” our community then attended workshops and discussions throughout the day to explore the book’s lessons. Some of these workshops included:
- All Schools are Tools for Social Control: Exploring the School to Power and the School to Prison Pipeline
- Systemic Racism and Institutional Power
- Strategies for Youth of Color when Confronted by Law Enforcement
- Powering Through It: Understanding the Exposure and Experience of Trauma in Communities of Color.
During Fieldston Awareness Days, our community attends special classes, seminars, and activities revolving around a specific theme or topic for an entire school day. Recently, by request of our students, we hosted one centered on consent, which included sessions such as:
- Hooking Up in the Digital Age: 9 Pro-Tips for Navigating Dating + Tech
- From Carrying Mattresses to Hunger Strikes: Understanding and Navigating Consent on Campus
- Undoing “Slut” Shaming and Sexual Bullying
- What Makes a Culture ‘Rape Prone’ and What Can We Do About It?
By providing the time and space for these events to take place, we are declaring firmly that ethics — the exploration of what it means to be a moral and responsible member of society — is at the heart of what we do here.
Beyond ECFS
The goal of our progressive education in New York is to improve the world around us, not just within the walls of our school. It’s common for our students to organize community service events, and for many across the ECFS community to join these events. Fieldston Upper students organized a day of service with Rise Against Hunger, an organization that aims to end global hunger by 2030. Our students were joined by faculty, staff, families, and alumni — volunteers ranged in age from two to eighty years old. By the end of the day, volunteers had packed and shipped over 10,000 meals to developing nations around the world.
Ethics is central to all that we do. We consider multiple perspectives, practice radical empathy, nurture care and compassion, and tackle difficult questions about issues and problems that are seen and unseen throughout our curriculum and our community. Students and adults alike are expected to be responsible not only for themselves but for the health and success of their peers.
Ethics is a verb.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ethical school?
An ethical school is an educational environment where values like empowerment, respect, and integrity guide every aspect of school life. It promotes inclusive practices, ensuring all students feel safe, valued, and supported. Ethical schools foster open dialogue, encourage moral reasoning, and nurture empathy in their communities. Leadership, policies, and classroom practices align with a commitment to doing what is right, not just what is required. Decisions are made transparently, considering the well-being of all stakeholders. Ultimately, an ethical school like ECFS prioritizes both academic excellence and character development, shaping students into conscientious citizens who contribute positively to society.
How is ethical teaching different?
Ethical teaching goes beyond delivering curriculum—it involves modeling integrity, compassion, and fairness in daily interactions. ECFS teachers reflect critically on their own biases, make equitable decisions, and prioritize student welfare. They foster inclusive classrooms, respecting all perspectives. Ethical teaching challenges educators to consider the broader impacts of their methods and content. Ethical teaching is deeply relational, recognizing the moral responsibility of educators to influence not just minds, but also hearts and character.
What does an ethical education look like beyond the classroom?
Beyond the classroom, ethical education extends into students’ lives through community engagement, social responsibility, and application of values learned in school. It involves service learning, environmental stewardship, and civic involvement that promote empathy, justice, and global awareness. Students are encouraged to act with integrity, respect diverse cultures, and speak up for what they believe is right. Ethical education equips learners to navigate moral dilemmas in work, relationships, and society with courage and critical thinking. At ECFS, we collaborate with our families and community to create an environment where ethical growth continues, making education a lifelong process rooted in purpose and positive action.
