Foucault on Education

Foucault’s ideas are often used in the study of education. These ideas are intended not to define education itself but instead to look at the implications and theoretical assumptions surrounding education. The following paragraphs will address Foucault’s idea of “moral orthopedics” in relation to what education means within our society.

Foucault’s term of “moral orthopedics” is fundamental when addressing the advancement of the application and practice of education. “Moral orthopedics” are the frame works of morals central to schooling that emerged early in the history of education. As the population increased, the demand for education and teachers increased creating the ability for these “moral orthopedics” to become functional in society.

Before schools, education and morals were learned through the institutions of family, salvation and apprenticeships. As the population increased, the demand for a generalized method to control disorder also increased resulting in an institutionalized method of education; schools. Schools were introduced to neutralize and contain disorder, laying the foundation for the discourse that schools are to help and teach the proper ways of society. Not only would these schools confine disorder, but correct disorder as well, preparing students for a morally acceptable life, as well as introducing a method to control and standardize what one learns so the “proper” knowledge in relation to age is learned at the right pace as opposed to potential exposure to disorderly circumstances, for example sexual or immoral ideals improper for students of certain ages. 

This framework of morals is central to schooling and is controlled by specifically selected morally sound teachers. “Moral orthopedics” intend to prepare for the future, as opposed to punish for the past, facilitating correction of disorder and the intended creation of a society filled with the majority of morally sound, prepared individuals.

This “moral orthopedics” of education is apparent in our current school system. The need for this advancement was historically crucial when levels of disorder were high and children needed to be separated into proper categorical learning arrangements with morally proper educators. The placement of specific age groups with specific learning models displayed in the current education systems is directly correlated with “moral orthopedics” and the discourse of a school being a morally sound institution where children are only presented with information relevant to what is morally acceptable for their age group, taught to them by morally sound individuals. If students in our society were not being taught generalized material at acceptable ages it may once again heighten the sorts disorder in society “moral orthopedics” intends to dissipate by exposing children to unacceptable information at an age that is not suitable, be it by caregivers or other children. By creating these moral sanctions in the education system it eliminates disorder and facilitates growth of morally sound, respectful individuals as well as provides them with equal opportunities for success based on being presented with the tools in which allow them to become accepted in society as apparent in our current educational institutions.

An educational institutions role in society has shifted from one that was once punishing the past experiences to one that is now empowering the future by way of teaching sanctioned curricula based on age and mental preparedness for material. The education system presents this method self help and discovery method of educating that was not once part of the educational curriculum. It is empowering and facilitates growth of individualism by way of proper curricula at ages in which students are mentally prepared. “Moral orthopedics” is an influential advancement against the discourse of education once being punishing, unequal and oppressive.