Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong: And What We Can Do About It

by William Kilpatrick

In Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong: And What We Can Do About It , Kilpatrick shows how we can correct this problem by providing our youngsters with the stories, models, and inspirations they need in order to lead good lives.

Kilpatrick shows how we can correct this problem by providing our youngsters with the stories, models, and inspirations they need in order to lead good lives.

Genres: Education, Parenting, Nonfiction, Psychology, Philosophy, Cultural

368 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

William Kilpatrick is the author of several books, including Psychological Seduction and Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong. His articles on Islam have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, FrontPage Magazine, Jihad Watch, Catholic World Report, the National Catholic Register, World, and other publications. Professor Kilpatrick, who taught for many years at Boston College, lectures frequently to audiences in the US and abroad.

Reviews

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1955, Rudolf Flesch wrote a book entitled Why Johnny Can’t Read. Basically, he concluded that the evidence showed conclusively that the reason why Johnny couldn’t read was that he was taught wrong. The time-tested method of learning to read with intensive phonics had been ditched for the trendy new “look-say or whole language” method which worked for some kids but left a large number without the proper tools for learning language skills. In Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right from Wrong, William Kilpatrick similarly concludes that the reason why Johnny can’t tell right from wrong is that he is being taught wrong. The time-tested method of teaching character based on traditional virtue has been ditched for the trendy new “decision making, moral reasoning, dilemma method, critical thinking, or values clarification” method based on humanistic relativism. This book has been called “hard-hitting and controversial.” It is certainly hard-hitting all right, but the only thing which makes it “controversial” is that the current educational establishment, entertainment industry, mass media, and much of our government bureaucracy are under the control of “progressive” leftists whose dogma and agenda are the real reason why Johnny can’t tell right from wrong. Any reasonable parent knows instinctively that what Kilpatrick says is true, even if the educational elite do not.

While reading this book, I probably underlined more statements and observations than in any other book that I have read for a long time. After an excellent introductory chapter explaining “The Crisis in Moral Education,” the author illustrates the effects in two specific areas, “Drug Education” and “Sex Education,” showing that so many programs developed to combat drug abuse and teenage sexuality have actually increased rather than reduced drug use and illicit sex. The middle chapters which discuss the theory behind all this may be a bit dull, but even they still contain a lot of important information. And the two chapters on “What Schools Can Do” and “What Parents Can Do” are priceless. Given the evidence that children best learn character and virtue through stories read aloud in the family circle, the book concludes with an annotated guide to more than 120 books for children and young adults. In fact, the author well expresses some of the same feelings and concerns that I have about much of what passes for modern children’s literature. “Good literature, for example, doesn’t introduce a child to ‘kids like me’ but to others who are better than himself—who are just like he might become if he fulfills his potential for goodness” (p. 168).

What is interesting is that Kilpatrick deals with so many of the same issues that have concerned Christians and Bible-believers in our culture, but instead of simply saying, “The Bible says…,” he draws his arguments using research, history, and statistics. For example, if you want to know why we have gone within one generation from a society which held homosexuality as a sin to one which now accepts so-called homosexual marriage, you will find the answer on page 126. Also, in the state of Virginia, “school districts that instituted comprehensive sex education showed a 17 percent increase in teen pregnancies, while schools that were not teaching it had an average of 16 percent decrease during the same period” (p. 54). Of course, the “progressive” left considers this book flawed and hates it, but only because it disagrees with their program. Otherwise, the biggest complaint I saw about it is the wish that it was more current and the fear that it is no longer relevant. Some of the statistics cited by Kilpatrick in 1992 may be somewhat outdated, but the fact is that the situation he describes has only grown worse so that the warnings and the solutions offered are even more applicable today. If you are a parent with children in public schools who is vaguely uneasy about what they are being taught but just cannot put your finger on why; or if you are a parent who has already pulled your kids out of public schools to homeschool them but have never been able exactly to verbalize the reasons; this book will help to explain it all.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frightening text that foreshadows the rise of Tumblr culture, special snowflakes and Social Justice Warriors in society.

Mr. Kirkpatrick's traditionalism may turn some people off to this book's premise, but it is not a blind allegiance to classic principles, but rather a return to the best part of them. The book's stance on rock and popular music can also turn some readers off, but the passage of time has proven the words of Mr. Kirkpatrick - and Allan Bloom - to be correct to an extent.

What is the most eye-opening part of this book is how radical feminism and critical theory combine to destroy children's value systems via the school system, giving birth to narcissistic millennial folk heavily involved with slacktivism, co-opting various fields for their identity politics, and a general disdain of classical values.

Carol Gilligan's Frankenstein monster Jonathan McIntosh is a poster child for this arrogance and sociopathy.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excerpt from the book

"From a traditional point of view, the chief way to counter our lack of will and determination is through the development of good habits. An effective moral education would be devoted to encouraging habits of honesty, helpfulness, and self-control until such behaviors become second nature. The idea is that we could then respond to tempting situations in an automatic way much as an expert tennis player responds automatically to a hard serve. If we become persons of a certain kind, we won't need to debate our course of action, we will know "instinctively' how to act."


This book is about moral illiteracy and the case for character education.

[Chris Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read better books. That's the whole message of this book. The author attributes the decline of morality to the type of literature assigned in schools. And he does make an interesting argument. Surely we ought to read books that teach us to have good character.

But as a Christian, I know that this is not the main problem. Our problem is sin. It's not ultimately an education problem, but a spiritual one.

Nevertheless, reading good books can be part of the solution. We ought to fill our minds with things that glorify God. We ought to test everything and hold onto the good. And, of course, reading the Bible is a pretty necessary way to grow in godliness.

So in my final assessment, this book contains a lot of great advice regarding the kinds of books we read and assign, even if it kind of dances around the deeper problem.

[Lisa Rathbun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book, although it can be a bit depressing as you consider the state of society (even when this was published a few years ago). I especially liked the chapter on the importance of seeing life as a story (that gives meaning to your life) and the desire to be a hero (and the unsung heroism it takes to live a good life, day after day).



I've been rereading this and it is VERY good. The deficiencies of relying on the idyllic imagination instead of the moral imagination are reasonably stated. So fascinating!

[Melanie Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that helps bring light to why our society seems so off track and moraless (made up word). It is amazing what goes on and we don't realize it.
This helped to confirm to me the importance of having rules and teaching our children that there is right and wrong and it is okay to give them consequences for disobedience. In fact it is essential that we do and not let them be the boss.
This book will help you have more strength as parents, grandparents, teachers etc. to hold to your guns and bring on the consequences :)

[Tenley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every parent and educator should read this book. Very insightful about how the progressive movement has removed great literature from our schools. Takes on the debate: children are inherently good vs. children need to be taught by example. Goes into depth on sex education, drug education, moral education, etc. Shocking what some of the schools are teaching children. At the end of the book, the author gives a list of books to read to your children from beginner to advanced.

[Dana Caplinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this book for work. The most annoying thing about it was that it was super outdated information. It was first published in 1992! There were a few good things to think about: a return to classical education and character education, but I would have appreciated a more up to date view point and current statistics. Also, this author did a lot of "finger shaking" at teachers, administrators, and parents, but offered very little suggestions on how to improve education.

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book examining why kids aren't moral. A good history of how parents and schools both changed in ways that may not have been, in hindsight, the best ways to teach kids moral behavior. The author's answers to solve the problem are a little wacky, but he does include a list of books and stories that can help teach kids moral behavior, by either reading them in school, or at home with a parent.

[John Wick · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most dated and useless books I have ever read. It points a lot of blaming fingers and has outdated 1980s views about where society has gone wrong in education. I'm sorry Danny Elfman was right when he wrote "ONLY A LAD" this book hasn't got a clue.

[Nicolas Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a lot of fantastic advice for parents, teachers, and other leaders; however, the reason I give the five goldens is for chapter 11 on writing. Paradigm-altering. Thanks, Kilpatrick.

[Steve]

Amazing book about how our educational system has helped change the morality of our youth

[Steve]

Excellent book about character education and developing virtue in self and youth.

[James A · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just started. Very, very interesting... worth the time!

[Clem]

Takes a bit of concentration to make it through, but i really enjoyed the information in this book. Well worth the time it took to read it!

[Random Scholar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the ideas Kilpatrick shared about how we can teach character to children. It was also nice to read about the history behind the lack of character education we see. My only problem with this book is that it took a very negative tone towards homosexuality, rap and rock music. Considering that this was published in the early 1990's by a highly conservative, religious man I'm not surprised. I just think that makes this book pretty dated. Otherwise, I resonated most with the idea that we should model the behaviors we want children to show (whether we are a teacher, parent or both). I also resonated with the emphasis Kilpatrick placed on stories, because I agree that children can be inspired to show certain character traits if they are portrayed in a positive, heroic light in certain stories. This is a great way for teachers to weave character education into their schedule during literacy blocks when they may be pressed for time throughout an average work day.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every chapter consists of remarkable, insightful scholarship. Kilpatrick handles each topic with ease and clarity; it'll simply blow your mind. Although it's up to the reader's discretion to plow through the last chapter of great book summaries, it will nonetheless make you want to jump into reading.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book warns of the dangers of dropping explicit moral education, stories of heroes, and real relationships and somehow expecting kids to become discerners of right and wrong. It encouraged me to keep up the good fight.

[Katherine Braswell-Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this book zero stars, I would.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this so long ago, but I think it's time to re-read it.

[Deanna Sutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommend. In a nutshell though to have your child learn right and wrong read them moral stories.