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Moral and Ethical Implications of Special Education Inclusion

Joshua Yee

Azusa Pacific University

EDLS496: Education & Professional Ethics

Dr. Paul Flores

November 5, 2022
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Abstract

In the face of much controversy, inclusion and mainstreaming special needs (SN) students

remains as one of the most challenging to answer. Using several pieces of literature that discuss

the ethical reasonings from religious and secular standpoints this paper seeks to find moral and

ethical justification to mainstreaming and inclusion efforts. Authors like C.S. Lewis, William

Damon, and Philip Graham Ryken present the Christian values of education to all individuals

and the roles of educators in fulfilling that role. Other authors like Kathleen Sernak present a

secular perspective that focuses on the social, financial, and ethical implications of inclusive

education. This paper seeks to develop a stance that allows for the pursuit of quality education

for all students especially including those with disabilities.

Keywords: inclusion, special education, mainstreaming, K-12, ethics.

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Moral and Ethical Implications of Special Education Inclusion

From the late 19th century to modern day, inclusive education has remained on the

forefront of special education literature. The impacts of inclusive education not only strongly

impact the SN students but also the faculty and general education students. The immense

importance of inclusive education has generated significant levels of controversy among

scholars. The main question is concerned with if inclusion is worth it and what are the ethical

implications of inclusive education. Several religious and educational scholars have argued for

the importance of education for all students and the value of inclusive education while many

secular authors agree that there is a value of having SN students in the general education

classroom for social and academic purposes. Through the analysis of all the literature, it is clear

that there is a moderate degree of consensual agreement that the student is valuable and the way

we educate them is also valuable.

Literature Review

Humanism and Ethical Arguments for Inclusion and Mainstreaming

From a more secular standpoint, different authors have argued using several different

methods such as utilitarianism and humanism to justify or dialogue about inclusion. In Kandie

Press’s article titled “The Dilemma of Inclusion: Is Full Inclusion Ethical? An Examination of

the Culture of Special Education Within a Semi-Rural Pre-K to Sixth Grade Elementary School

District”, she examines and analyzes the benefits and detriments of inclusion in real life

classrooms and evaluates the necessity of inclusive classroom programs (Press, 2008).

After presenting a survey of how inclusion is playing out, she states, “Inarguably, equity is the

right of all children. However, inclusion affords some children have greater equity than it does

others. In order to achieve equity, it is the responsibility of educators to identify lapses in

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equitable treatment” (Press, 2008, p. 255). Press highlights two important matters here: equitable

education is a right and it is part of the educator’s responsibility, to the extent of their ability, to

fulfill. In this sense, educators and their ethical standards have an important role in attempting to

fulfill their role. “Each child whose life we touch has an individual profile, and each is entitled to

receive the best that we have to offer. Best means that professionals are guided by core values

that embrace such tenets as honesty, integrity, knowledge, and advocacy” (Press, 2008, pp.

258-259). In addition, this responsibility requires that educators are grounded in such ideas like

honesty and integrity. It is through these values that educators are able to, according to Press,

offer the best education possible on an individual basis for all students. Afterwards, Press

highlights a core idea that she has hinted at throughout her article. She states, “Children are the

beneficiaries of our educational decision-making and philosophical directions; they are the ones

who stand to be most affected by the way in which we define and implement inclusive

education…Educational professionals have the responsibility not to simply avoid doing harm,

they have the responsibility of doing good” (Press, 2008, pp. 259-260). In her concluding

remarks, she highlights that the educator ultimately can define if inclusive education can work or

not. An educator’s philosophical understanding can be the guiding principle to their approach to

inclusion and can be a large factor in their success too. Throughout her article, Press also

highlighted many reasons why inclusive education may be failing including teacher motivation,

resources, and behavior management (Press, 2008). This is why in her last statement, she

recognizes that there is a significant challenge in appealing to this student populace. But the

motivation to do good by pursuing quality inclusive education should make the struggles worth it

(Press, 2008).
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In his concluding remarks, William Damon in his book The Path to Purpose, considers

the value of educating students with purpose stating, “A decent society provides such support,

because all young people deserve the chance for a purposeful life. What’s more, if neglected

youth don’t find positive purposes to dedicate themselves to, they may pursue less constructive

activities that will come back to haunt their society (Damon, 2009, p. 162). Not only does

Damon contend that a society should provide young people with purpose but also that if they do

not provide purpose then they are going to eventually negatively impact society. In a sense,

Damon argues that we can integrate purpose into education with the goal of not having students

eventually come back to hurt society.

A Christian Approach to Ethics Regarding Inclusive Education

Unlike the secular approach, the Christian approach attempts to identify the SN student in

the likeness of God and because of their innate likeness that they are deserving of equitable

education. Philip Ryken in his novel Christian Worldview: A Student’s Guide, presents a deeper

perspective into what worldviews are and how the Christian worldview is distinguishable among

all others. Ryken particularly talks about this notion of “common grace: which recognizes that

there is a love and forgiveness that extends to every single person regardless of their

demographic, failures, or background (Ryken, 2013). The idea of “common grace” is extended

further into the need for a “saving grace” which allows for us to individually develop a personal

relationship with God (Ryken, 2013). In reflecting on Mother Teresa’s impact on her life, Mary

Poplin (2008) states:

Jesus commanded of his disciples two kinds of love that summed up the entire Ten

Commandments: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all

your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second
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is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ While most people are often

comfortable with acknowledging the humanistic second commandment, Jesus was telling

us, as Mother was telling me: truly, you will not be able to do the second without the first.

(pp. 159-160)

Poplin asserts that Mother Teresa taught it was through loving God that you learned to

love your neighbor. The reflection of your love for God shone through the love you exemplified

to your neighbor whether that be a family member or an SN student. C.S. Lewis in his novel

Mere Christianity presents a dense unpacking of Christian virtues and ideas. Towards the end of

his novel presents a strong statement, “Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose

your life and you will save it…Keep back nothing” (Lewis, 2015 orig. 1952, p. 108). He

extensively has been unpacking this idea throughout the course of his novel talking about the

value of nature and the lack of value one can find in pursuing their own goals. By stating this, he

is recognizing that part of our faith is giving up what one wants (Lewis, 2015 orig. 1952).

Instead, it is by grabbing Christ that one can step away from their world desires and can grasp

onto the values of Christ (Lewis, 2015 orig. 1952).

Discussion

Position

The literature presents several consensual views about the importance of special

education from different perspectives. From the secular perspective, Press represented how

educators and administrators feel a responsibility to care for the child. There is a value to every

student and therefore programs should be implemented to support every student no matter what

their disabilities may be. Unlike the secular perspective, the Christian worldview contends as to

the reasoning for accommodating SN students. Ryken and Poplin contend that because there is a
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common grace, one can demonstrate their love of the Lord by giving and serving all of their

neighbors. Lewis argues that this love for the Lord and the service that comes with it can

primarily be achieved by letting go of oneself and all of the stigmas and perceptions that come

with them. In other words, it is through the giving up of oneself that one can see and act on the

consensual understanding that every child is deserving of grace and love.

Critique

In the process of researching, there was not an extensive amount of surveys done on the

perceptions of administrators and educators about the ethics of inclusive education. More studies

may have allowed a deeper consensual understanding of the secular view of education.

Additional research about the value of the child in Christian literature could have also allowed

for a deeper unpacking of individual value in the midst of a larger society.

Conclusion

What has become clear through this survey of secular and Christian literature is that there

is a moderate level of consensus regarding innate human value. For the secular authors, Damon

and Press found that every child has a purpose in society and that inclusive education may be a

means of allowing educators to facilitate that purpose. For Christian authors like Lewis and

Ryken, inclusive education may have a deeper purpose. It is an effort of both the student and the

educator to allow themselves to be embraced by God’s love for them. On the basis of the

literature surveyed, inclusive education can be a platform that is worth pursuing in order to

demonstrate one’s love for God but also invest into every child’s purpose that God has set out for

them.
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Resources

Damon, W. (2009). The path to purpose: How young people find their calling in life. Free Press.

Lewis, C. S. (2017; orig. 1952). Mere christianity. William Collins.

Press, K. A. (2010). The dilemma of inclusion: Is full inclusion ethical? An examination of the

culture of special education within a semi-rural pre-k to sixth grade elementary school

district. ProQuest LLC. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED514868.

Poplin, M. S. (2008). Finding Calcutta: what Mother Teresa taught me about meaningful work

and service. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Ryken, P..G. (2013). Christian worldview: A student’s guide (reclaiming the christian intellectual

tradition). Crossway.