This work is a refl ection on ethics and critical pedagogy, from the perspective of Paulo Freire. In order to gain a clear understanding of the current educational process, we analyzed the main approaches involved in the formation of this process, since each of these approaches involves different educational practices. What we observed is that despite the many approaches that exist, the current education system is characterized by two main streams of thought: one that meets the requirements of the productive world and another which seeks to develop a culture capable of critical thinking in order to lead to an emancipatory condition. In this article, we raise the issue of ethics in education as a means of emancipation of the subjects. Thus, from the reading of the teacher’s role in the education of the students, we analyze the critical perspective of education as a project which is appropriate for the ethical development of students in school and in society.