The Deep Roots of the Fairness Committee in Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory

Abstract

AbstractEarlier essays in this symposium describe Restorative Justice processes in schools, referred to in our school as a Fairness Committee. Implementing these collaborative, restorative processes does not come without challenges. This essay will explore some of the historical and theoretical roots of the Fairness Committee in Lawrence Kohlberg’s work on moral development, share some critiques of Kohlberg’s work, and briefly describe Kohlberg’s initial efforts to implement his theories on moral development in schools. Finally, this essay concludes with some reflections on the challenges that come with implementing a Fairness Committee in a public school setting and some tips for beginning a Restorative Justice/Fairness Committee in your school community.