UNIT 6: Responsibility

What kind of responsibilities do people have?

Legal responsibility

Citizens of any state are entitled to know what their rights are in law and also to appreciate the extent of their legal responsibilities to the state and to other citizens. The responsibilities of citizens of democracies are sometimes summed up in three main duties, namely to vote, pay taxes and obey the law.

Responsibilities are often the obverse of rights. For example, the right to free speech brings with it the responsibility to allow the same right to others. However, people who commit crimes do not necessarily lose the rights they denied to others (as in the case of killing or discrimination). Equally, people often have obligations which are not reciprocal, for example, responsibilities towards children.

Moral responsibility

In EDC it is very important to nurture young people’s capacity to think morally. Without this capacity, there can be no critical evaluation of society’s laws or social structures in terms of whether they are fair (just). For this reason, when students are taught about laws which affect them, they should also be encouraged to critically evaluate their function and purpose and whether they should be changed in any way.

Teaching for responsibility

By examining the reasons why people behave in a pro-social way, or highlighting the extent of other people’s needs, teachers can help students become more aware of the needs and rights of others. It is also important for teachers to demonstrate attitudes of responsibility in front of students.

Students learn to become responsible citizens not only through study in the classroom, but also through being given the opportunity to learn from experience. In this respect, the good EDC school will be keen to encourage students to be involved in the life of the school and the wider community, for example, through school councils.

UNIT 6: Responsibility

What kind of responsibilities do people have?