Teaching morality in schools

As I was reading articles about teaching morality in public schools, I was actually surprised that there was even a debate about it.  Isn't it the teachers' responsibilities (in addition to parents) to teach our kids right from wrong?  I certainly thought it was.  From the time kids enter preschool, they are taught to share, take turns, not to take things that don't belong to them, say 'please' and 'thank you', wait your turn, listen politely when your classmates are talking, etc.  Aren't these examples of teaching morality in school?  I found in my readings, though, that people tend to mix up teaching morality with teaching religion in school.  In an article by Steven D. Schafersman, (http://www.freeinquiry.com/teaching-morals.html) he states that people opposed to teaching morality in schools believe that it is akin to sneaking religion into public schools by the religious right.  Teaching kids to be good people though does not have to be about religion and that is where the debate starts.  Schafersman also states that the moral philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle based their ethical systems on the same thing humanist philosophers today do:  a happy conscience, a successful and productive life, and the harmonious working of society.  So why is there such a problem with teaching these values to kids in school?  I think that again people tend to think people are pushing religious beliefs on their children when we start talking about teaching morality in school.  That is why it is referred to as 'character education' now.  The U.S. government's website from the Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/character/brochure.html, )defines character education as "a learning process that enables students and adults in a school community to understand, care about and act on core ethical values such as respect, justice, civic virtue and citizenship, and responsibility for self and others".  As teachers, I think we are teaching these values every day or at least I hope we are.  Does it have to be a formal process?  I don't think so but I do not see anything wrong with it if morality is taught as a formal 'character education' class.