Education, low expectations and moral injury
As Jennifer Morton argues, teachers’ low expectations can wrong students.
Education, low expectations and moral injury
19 Nov 2025, 17:30 – 19:15
Focusing on disabled children, Amy Mullin will argue that low expectations based on membership in socially disadvantaged groups are disrespectful. In diminishing students’ value and potential for local autonomy, they constitute a moral injury.
To explore the damage it can cause, she will adapt Jeanette Kennett’s account of loss of normative self-control and Cheshire Calhoun’s analysis of demotivation that undermines agency to children. Since children need others’ help to meet most goals, this moral injury can undermine self-efficacy, collective-efficacy and interest in their own agency.
This event will be particularly useful for those interested in teacher-student relationships and philosophy of education more broadly.
To book your place, please email Yuxin Su: stnvysu@ucl.ac.uk.
PESGB seminar series
This event is part of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB) seminar series. PESGB is a learned society that promotes the study, teaching and application of philosophy of education. Its London Branch hosts seminars every Wednesday in conjunction with the Centre for Philosophy of Education. These seminars are led by national and international scholars in the field, covering a wide range of issues of educational and philosophical concern.
All are welcome to attend.
Related links
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Phil Meech for IOE.
Professor Amy Mullin
Professor of Philosophy
University of Toronto
She is interested in what it means to interact respectfully with people who need care and whose capacity for autonomy is diminished or still developing.
More generally, she is interested in what is required for asymmetric relationships to be morally valuable.
Further information
Ticketing
Pre-booking essential
Cost
Free
Open to
All
Availability
Yes
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