The AME has become an international scholarly association.

The AME held its 25th annual conference in November, 1999, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Two hundred and ninety-three registered participants attended from many countries.  The twenty member Executive Board of the Association now includes 12 from the U.S., 3 from Canada, 1 from Mexico, and 4 from Europe (12 women & 8 men; 2 of African descent; 2 Hispanics).  From 1976-1981, AME conferences were organized by AME founder Lisa Kuhmerker and were held in the northeastern U.S.  The Association was unique for encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue between psychologists, social scientists, philosophers, and teacher educators with teachers of young children and adolescents.  From 1982-1989, conferences were held in midwestern and Pacific locations in the U.S. as well as the northeastern U.S., and the first conference was held outside the U.S. in Toronto (1985).  Each of these 8 conferences was organized by local hosts.  In 1990, the AME held its first expressly international conference at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), and between 1991-1999 AME conferences have been held in 3 locations in Canada, 3 in the southern U.S., 2 in the northeastern U.S., and 1 in the midwestern U.S.  In July, 2000, the AME will hold its first conference outside North America in Glasgow, Scotland.  (See the link to the AME2000 Conference Website in the frame on the left.)
 

Mission Statement

The Association for Moral Education (AME) was founded in 1976 to provide an interdisciplinary forum for professionals interested in the moral dimensions of educational theory and practice. The Association is dedicated to fostering communication, cooperation, training, curriculum development, and research that links moral theory with educational practice. It supports self-reflective educational practices that value the worth and dignity of each individual as a moral agent in a pluralistic society.

The Association emphasizes the development of moral understanding in all individuals, and believes that such development requires opportunities for engagement in moral dialogue. Through its program of conferences and publications, the AME serves as a resource to educators, practitioners, students, and the public in matters related to moral education and development, provides expertise on educational policies and practices, and provides information about moral education to interested parties in the general public.

The AME is governed by an Executive Board elected by and drawn from its membership, and the active participation of all of the members of the Association is encouraged. Members include public and private school teachers and administrators, counselors and psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, researchers, teacher educators, religious educators, and graduate students interested in advancing the study of moral education. The AME invites all professionals interested in moral education to be members.