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CHARACTER
EDUCATION: IS IT ENOUGH?
By
Elderine Wyrick
School shootings
and violence escalated in the 1990's. As a result of these
shocking events, professionals began to reevaluate modern educational
philosophy and trends in public school education. Children were killing
children in public places. Parents, seemingly, were not training
character at home. School leaders throughout the United States
realized the need for training students in basic morals and establishing
a standard of correct behavior as a good citizen. Consequently,
by 1996, the need for character training, discussed by some as early
as 1988, came to the forefront in many public systems.
Since
the 1960's, in an effort to produce a non-religious, amoral education
for all groups, the public system began to omit any forms of Christianity
or “right and wrong” teaching. Child psychologists
promoted children's rights, and instructed new parents to:
Lay
off the discipline; let toddlers express themselves and give kids
some “space” … Don't snoop in your kids' belongings
or cross-examine them about their friends and whereabouts (Eakman
2001, 3087)".
Behavioral therapists
suggested that youngsters needed to be told their work was great,
even when it wasn't. They began to promote day care as
the best alternative for preschool children's social and school readiness
training. Many specialists labeled spankings as a form of child
abuse. School systems and professionals questioned the ability,
authority and rights of parents to train their own children. Schools
instructed their staff to be on alert for victims of parent abuse
and to intervene. Many parents became confused, felt inadequate,
insecure, and disarmed. Their learned model of parenting became
objectionable. Everything they valued and knew was questioned and
deemed unacceptable. Their foundation of morals built by their
parents was destroyed by the professionals. Their teenage
children, also convinced of their parents' inability to train correctly,
refused much of the guidance or discipline offered at home. Thus,
the children became independent, belligerent, and self-serving. The
children's immaturity and lack of morals led them to act out their
feelings even if it meant shooting your parents or teachers.
In 1994, the
Josephson Institute of Ethics called for schools to promote the character
traits of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring
and citizenship (Etzioni 1994, 18). The adoption of character
education was slow at first. Then with repeated school shootings
in the late 1990's, schools systems throughout the states began to
implement character education plans. With increased security,
stronger behavior guidelines, and implementing character education
in the curriculum, schools have seen improvement. But is it
enough?
Character development
involves all of society, not just the school or home. As parents
and schools are trying to teach self-discipline and controlled delayed
gratification, our culture works against them. The marketing
culture encourages instant gratification. Videos and music lyrics
encourage self-indulgence, dissatisfaction, and rebellion. The
media promotes a free lifestyle of sexual promiscuity and violence.
The political culture presents backbiting, slander, and character
assassination as a norm. The popular culture is bent on pursuing
the dream, climbing the ladder, gaining material things and suggests
that the means are justified
by the end result. Reality TV promotes the philosophy of the
survival of the fittest. Course language has become a norm
in our everyday society. Rudeness has become cute and entertaining
(Stewart 2000, 31).
The challenge
of public school training moral character stems from having no common
foundation to build upon. How can a public system teach moral
character from an amoral perspective? On what authority will
they teach it? On what basis will children be convinced to
turn from their self-serving agendas to serving their fellowman? What
benefit is there in responsibility, trustworthiness and fairness
when the people succeeding in life are in news media reports revealing
their schemes that brought them success?
Morality
is a heart issue. Caring for your fellowman must be more than
a decision; it must become a personal conviction. Responsibility,
respect, and good citizenship must be based on a moral foundation. In
the past, families, religious institutions, government and culture
provided that foundation. Once again our society must strive
to teach citizens, not just school children, the needed character
guidelines and the reasons for morality. Our media and entertainment
industry should be encouraged to support those foundational beliefs. The
new faith based initiative should be embraced by the people, and
churches should again take an important role in society through serving
their fellowman and teaching moral values.
Teacher
character education in the public schools is a step in the right
direction, but it is only a beginning. Our society must find
a firm foundation to build upon. We need a foundation based
upon mutual respect and service one to another. Without that foundation,
we are vulnerable to moral collapse when the next wave of rash philosophies
surface.
Works Cited
Eakman, Beverly
K. “The Perfect Crime.” Vital Speeches
of the Day 67, I10 (1 March
2001):304-320.
Etzioni, Amitai. “U.S.
Schools Rediscover the Virtue of Virtues.” Insight
on the News 10,
no. 52 (26 December 1994):18-20.
Stewart, Mark. “Restoring
Civility.” Insight on the News 16, i44
(27 November 2000):30-32.
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