Character education programs....

[DarwinsApe]

Our school district has a charachter education program built around six "pillars:" trust, respect, citizenship, caring, fairness and responsibility. The program is integrated into the curriculum. Each month of hte school year, students who display one of the traits recieve an award. (My daughters, I am proud to say, won awards this year for respect, caring, and fairness.)

I think this program is great. It is doing PRECISELY what we say as a society that we want our schools to do, preparing kids to become responsible, contributing members of society.

And yet...these kids of programs always seem to send Christians into convulsions. A couple of Chrisitans I have described these programs to have denounced them as left-wing "touchy feely" programs that waste valuable educational time. (They don't.) I suspect that the real reason that they dislike these programs, however, is that they fear that if kids learn to be "fair" and "caring," they may become tolerant of homosexuality and other "sins."

So..I'll put the question out there to anyone who cares to weigh in: what do you think of character education programs? And on a broader level, what role, if any, should our public school system play in inculcating values in our children?

 

[Toboe]

I think they should be in schools, esp. at young ages.

 

[psychedelicist]

I don't see why they shoul dteach any kind of values in school.

 

[ChristianCenturion]

Our school district has a charachter education program built around six "pillars:" trust, respect, citizenship, caring, fairness and responsibility. The program is integrated into the curriculum. Each month of hte school year, students who display one of the traits recieve an award. (My daughters, I am proud to say, won awards this year for respect, caring, and fairness.)

I think this program is great. It is doing PRECISELY what we say as a society that we want our schools to do, preparing kids to become responsible, contributing members of society.

I would disagree. Public schools are to teach facts, what you mention here is the parents obligation. Isn't it the Atheist repeated stance that government (and schools) are not to be dictators of morality or ideology?
Not to say those things are bad, but simply conveying that I do not look to the public school or the government as proven, proper or capable guardians of such.

And yet...these kids of programs always seem to send Christians into convulsions. A couple of Chrisitans I have described these programs to have denounced them as left-wing "touchy feely" programs that waste valuable educational time. (They don't.) I suspect that the real reason that they dislike these programs, however, is that they fear that if kids learn to be "fair" and "caring," they may become tolerant of homosexuality and other "sins."

It always comes back to this being the utmost importance with some... one day I do hope a subject can be discussed without it all coming back to "homosexuality".

So..I'll put the question out there to anyone who cares to weigh in: what do you think of character education programs? And on a broader level, what role, if any, should our public school system play in inculcating values in our children?

Try getting the basics back to being competitive again first and then we can quarrel over worrying about pushing ideologies afterwards.
That's my position.

 

[DarwinsApe]

See..that's the bind that public schools are in. On the one hand, they are accused of being cauldrons of iniquity. So..when they try to do somethign about it by teaching CORE values - and behaviors which will make them BETTER students and citizens - they get blasted for not just focusing on "the basics."

Religious schools teach values all the time. But...no one complians about that. Why? Presumably because Christians AGREE with the vlaues that are being taught at these schools.

I agree completely that it should be up to parents to instill character in their kids. But, it's clear that, for whatever reason, a number of parents are failing at that job. They've left it up to the schools...which have to do it by default.

Here's a question I'd like some of you to ponder: I mentioned that our character education program is based around six core values: citizenship, caring, fairness, respect, responsibility and trust.

Assume for a moment that you were put in charge of developing a character education program for a large school district with a diverse population. Are these the values you would stress? Are there others?

 

[beechy]

I think it's impossible to teach academics to youngsters in a classroom setting without at least promoting some sort of value system. How else would you explain to a child why he shouldn't cheat? Or why she should get their homework done on time? Or why he shouldn't stick their gum on the drinking fountain? Or why she shouldn't push other kids on the playground? Even if the answer is simply: "because you need to follow rules," that mandate presupposes that following rules is a good thing.

So generally, I think the program sounds like a good idea. If, however, a parent has a problem with their child being taught about "fairness", or if a parent feels there are problems with the way the concept is being taught, then I think the issue(s) should be raised with the school.

 

[Phred]

what do you think of character education programs? And on a broader level, what role, if any, should our public school system play in inculcating values in our children?

Our schools should not be teaching our children values in any way, shape or form. It's my job to teach my children values.

However, that's not a realistic statement. If a kid hits another kid what should a teacher do? If a kid is caught stealing? What about when a kid does something decent? Anyplace your kids spend 6 hours each day is a place that's going to help shape their views.

So I want the school to represent my values even if they're not teaching them directly. Just as everyone else here does. I want the teachers to be worthy of being role models should my kids come to like them. I want the curriculum to reflect things I want my kids to be taught.

But... at what point do my individual desires clash with the overall goals of a school?

 

[Nymphalidae]

I have a friend that spent a year teaching 9th grade biology in a New Orleans public school. She didn't actually end up teaching much biology because the students had such terrible home lives (for the most part) that she had to teach things like respect and goal-setting instead. You can't teach kids facts if they don't first learn how to learn and behave in a classroom.

 

[Harlan Norris]

I think that anything that actually improves charictor is a good thing. The fear that homosexuality might become more the norm, because of it's greater acceptability, is realistic. That would not be a charicter improvement in my view.

 

[beechy]

I think that anything that actually improves charictor is a good thing. The fear that homosexuality might become more the norm, because of it's greater acceptability, is realistic. That would not be a charicter improvement in my view.

Ok, but don't you think that teaching a child not to mistreat another kid just because his family is different would be a valuable lesson?

 

[Jetgirl]

Our school district has a charachter education program built around six "pillars:" trust, respect, citizenship, caring, fairness and responsibility. The program is integrated into the curriculum. Each month of hte school year, students who display one of the traits recieve an award. (My daughters, I am proud to say, won awards this year for respect, caring, and fairness.)

I feel very twitchy about that stuff. You're not going to get an award for fairness, respect, or caring in the real world, on the contrary, you'll probably get the opposite, they should be done for their own good, not for a carrot.

I'd rather our tax money get spent on reading, math, and science.

I think this program is great. It is doing PRECISELY what we say as a society that we want our schools to do, preparing kids to become responsible, contributing members of society.

Financial planning classes.

So..I'll put the question out there to anyone who cares to weigh in: what do you think of character education programs? And on a broader level, what role, if any, should our public school system play in inculcating values in our children?

Honestly, I think they're only slightly less than worthless, and it makes me sad that some parents rely on the school system to teach their kids such values.

 

[ChristianCenturion]

Ok, but don't you think that teaching a child not to mistreat another kid just because his family is different would be a valuable lesson?

Yes, but why would one have to give homosexuality the favoritism and/or promotion when I can list 10 different social types right off the top of my head that would receive just as much benefit for the whole if it were a generalized and not-so-catered to moral teaching. That was a rhetorical question; the answer is that there are some that wish to attach their special interest to an otherwise general 'noble cause'. IMO

 

[Jetgirl]

Yes, but why would one have to give homosexuality the favoritism and/or promotion when I can list 10 different social types right off the top of my head that would receive just as much benefit for the whole if it were a generalized and not-so-catered to moral teaching. That was a rhetorical question; the answer is that there are some that wish to attach their special interest to an otherwise general 'noble cause'. IMO

Agreed. Kids should not get away with mistreating other kids, regardless of why they think they should, regardless of what groups they're in.

 

[Chajara]

Yes, but why would one have to give homosexuality the favoritism and/or promotion when I can list 10 different social types right off the top of my head that would receive just as much benefit for the whole if it were a generalized and not-so-catered to moral teaching. That was a rhetorical question; the answer is that there are some that wish to attach their special interest to an otherwise general 'noble cause'. IMO

You have a point, but I think much of it might be because adults are tired of hearing kids running around calling each other f**s. Granted, it's used so often it's become a run-of-the-mill general insult anymore, but sometimes a kid who's different will be targeted as being supposedly "gay" and called all sorts of names. I'm tired of hearing it, most people I know are tired of hearing it, and I'm sure many gay people are tired of hearing it.

Just my opinion as to why we try to focus on homosexuality. Seems like they just want to send the message "Hey you bunch of morons, stop saying that word, and stop mistreating people because your friends all like to say that word and will target anyone who has one slight difference because it makes you feel macho and cool. It's annoying and immature and making us all want to choke you so knock it off."

Again, just my opinion.

 

[benjdm]

I think it is a good idea. It will be imperfect, of course. But I think overall the good outweighs the bad. I think that many times people over - react to the bare mention of an idea in school. While I don't love the idea of 'under God' in the pledge of allegiance, I'm not going to fight / sue over it. Similarly, I would hope people who believe sex before marriage is a sin would not complain about a single parent teacher who had a picture of their child on their desk. (First example I could think of that did NOT involve a certain inflammatory topic)

 

[Aimee30]

Our school district has a charachter education program built around six "pillars:" trust, respect, citizenship, caring, fairness and responsibility. The program is integrated into the curriculum. Each month of hte school year, students who display one of the traits recieve an award. (My daughters, I am proud to say, won awards this year for respect, caring, and fairness.)

I think this program is great. It is doing PRECISELY what we say as a society that we want our schools to do, preparing kids to become responsible, contributing members of society.

And yet...these kids of programs always seem to send Christians into convulsions. A couple of Chrisitans I have described these programs to have denounced them as left-wing "touchy feely" programs that waste valuable educational time. (They don't.) I suspect that the real reason that they dislike these programs, however, is that they fear that if kids learn to be "fair" and "caring," they may become tolerant of homosexuality and other "sins."

So..I'll put the question out there to anyone who cares to weigh in: what do you think of character education programs? And on a broader level, what role, if any, should our public school system play in inculcating values in our children?

I'll give you my opinion--
trust, respect, citizenship, caring, fairness and responsibility--all of which seem like something Christians should care about and being rewarded should reinforce the values.
I am thinking that they don't like it because it wasn't their idea and they have no control over it.
The public school sytem should teach some values to the school children instead of just letting some kids terrorize others by bullying in the very least.

 

[ChristianCenturion]

You have a point, but I think much of it might be because adults are tired of hearing kids running around calling each other f**s. Granted, it's used so often it's become a run-of-the-mill general insult anymore, but sometimes a kid who's different will be targeted as being supposedly "gay" and called all sorts of names. I'm tired of hearing it, most people I know are tired of hearing it, and I'm sure many gay people are tired of hearing it.

Reason would lead me to believe that any word used as an insult is intended to hurt. The word wouldn't have power to hurt if it were not considered as an insult by the society. I don't like gay, homo, etc. used against someone either, the individual won't be bullied into repentance and it portrays anyone else being against homosexuality as equally motivated (double edge sword for those that use name calling to hurt someone emotionally alienates support).

Just my opinion as to why we try to focus on homosexuality. Seems like they just want to send the message "Hey you bunch of morons, stop saying that word, and stop mistreating people because your friends all like to say that word and will target anyone who has one slight difference because it makes you feel macho and cool. It's annoying and immature and making us all want to choke you so knock it off."

Again, just my opinion.

Yeah, good luck with adding threats of violence to discourage hurtful behavior. No conflicts there.

 

[ChristianCenturion]

I'll give you my opinion--
trust, respect, citizenship, caring, fairness and responsibility--all of which seem like something Christians should care about and being rewarded should reinforce the values.
I am thinking that they don't like it because it wasn't their idea and they have no control over it.
The public school sytem should teach some values to the school children instead of just letting some kids terrorize others by bullying in the very least.

False premise, that by not catering to specific or special advocacy, that it is 'letting' some kids terrorize others. Here's and idea, remove the special interest and generalize it so it applies to anyone and instill away... oh, but then the cause seems less important then, huh?

 

[Chajara]

Yeah, good luck with adding threats of violence to discourage hurtful behavior. No conflicts there.

... I was taking artistic liscence with the whole "message" thing, not advocating threatening children with violence for pete's sake.

 

[ChristianCenturion]

... I was taking artistic liscence with the whole "message" thing, not advocating threatening children with violence for pete's sake.

When dealing with children, one can't take those adult luxuries and use terms like, stupid, feel like choking you, or even body language such as striking one's fist on a desk. They send a message to the child, whether it is intended or not.

Your phrasing, I was merely expanding the dangers of such as it was presented.