A TOP educationalist has put into words what most of us have been thinking for some time - many of today's young people do not know right from wrong.

Dr Nick Tate, the Government's leading adviser on lessons, wants a national statement of values to be drawn up and taught to all pupils.

What a sorry state we have come to that such a suggestion has to be made. Time was when some things were considered "wicked" and totally reprehensible. There were absolutes. Stealing was wrong. Hurting vulnerable people was wrong and damaging other people's property was wrong. That was apart from the accepted premise that people in authority were treated with respect. Today, it seems that even the word "wrong" is wrong. As Dr Tate argues, many people now consider that morality is largely a matter of taste or opinion and that there is no such thing as moral error.

We agree with Dr Tate that there are some things which are not a matter of debate and some moral matters which should not be called into question. While we do not advocate periods being set aside in school for lessons on "moral values", there should be some ground rules set down which incorporate rules on basically decent and socially acceptable behaviour.

Whether people are religious or not, the Ten Commandments are a good starting point for some very clear codes of behaviour.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.