‘Just don’t tell them what’s in it’: Ethics, edible insects and sustainable food choice in schools

Jones, Verity

Abstract

Supporting young people with global crises mitigation strategies is essential, yet loaded with ethical dilemmas for the educator. This study explores whether young people will make ethical decisions regarding the sustainability of food choice in schools, and based on the processes identified, what educators’ needs are in supporting transformative learning. This study is the first of its kind, where young people under the age of 14 have been tasting edible insects and discussing their role in a more sustainable diet. The article draws on mixed-method research with over 180 young people and their teachers in three schools in Wales and examines responses to a possible introduction of edible insects into school canteens. Highlighted is the complexity of sustainable food choices—likely to be identifiable with other young people and educators in western countries. The article considers how educators and policy makers may need to frame routes to positive sustainable action and the associated impacts these may have on personal, social, political and environmental spheres.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jun 24, 2020
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Apr 30, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 14, 2020
• Journal: British Educational Research Journal
• Print ISSN: 0141-1926
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-3518
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 46
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 894-908
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3655
• Keywords: edible insects, ethics, pedagogy, sustainability
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5947924
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedomain.org/journal/17