Character Education

For several years I've been receiving issues of a character education publication from the Center for the 4th & 5th Rs at the State University of New York Cortland School of Education. The Fall 2008 issue of the publication provided an interesting article titled Maximizing the Power of Character Through the Integration of Excellence and Ethics by Matt Davidson and Tom Lickona. The article indicates that "All schools face challenges in two critical areas: academic performance and ethical behavior." The articles continues by defining performance challenges to include:

• Motivating all students to do their best and care about the quality of their work
• Improving performance on standardized tests
• Reducing dropouts
• Preparing students for college and/or the workplace

Ethical challenges were cited as:

• Teaching students to respect legitimate authority, rules, and the rights of others
• Preventing peer cruelty
• Promoting academic honesty
• Reducing risky behaviors
• Helping students become responsible citizens

All of this is praiseworthy, but I always find it difficult to talk about character education without the family unit being at the center of the discussion. Moreover, schools are leveled with the responsibility of character education even though a child's character is clearly framed prior to a child's first step onto a school's campus.

I agree schools should assist parents in teaching children positive behavior. The first teacher for this type of education is the family unit, however. If schools are reporting lack of time testable subjects why should they accept an additional challenge as lead teacher for character education. My strong view is that society should force parents to fulfill their duty to education children in character development and let schools return to the "three Rs."