Jon YoungFayetteville State University

Arises from a simple premise: Because we share our world with others -- we are essentially social creatures -- our actions and the choices we make affect other people. The only way we can have a better world is if each of us commits to doing his or her own part. One of the most important places to begin is with one’s own character.

A person’s character refers to the totality of dispositions and habits that determine the way that a person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes. When we speak of “good character” we speak of those traits of habits that make an individual virtuous, and worthy of respect. - Michael Josephson

Intellect - Knowing the good

Emotions - Loving the good

Habits - Doing the good–Thomas Lickona

1. Higher education must focus on “academic” or “cognitive” skills and knowledge.

2. Character education is really a form of indoctrination, a means of smuggling religion and political ideologies into the classroom.

3. Whose values will you teach?

4. It is impossible to assess character development.

Higher education must focus on “academic” or “cognitive” skills and knowledge.

A major reason why people need academic and cognitive skills is to contribute to society as employers, employees, teachers, and citizens. Isn’t moral competence just as important as academic competence? Consider also that many employers who have to dismiss new employees do so, not because of academic deficiencies, but problems of character.

Or as Theodore Roosevelt put it: “To train a person in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.”

Answer:

Character education is really a form of indoctrination, a means of smuggling religion and political ideologies into the classroom.

Character education is not intended to promote the values of any specific religious or political group. It focuses exclusively on those values that transcend religious and political differences.

Answer:

Whose values will you teach?

Answer:Character education focuses on those core values, such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship, values that belong to no individual group in exclusion of others. These “six pillars of character” of the Character Counts! Coalition were developed by a cross section of people from all religions, ethnic backgrounds, and political beliefs.

It is impossible to assess character development.

Answer:Character Education is not as easy to assess as many other areas because of the complexity of character development. Yet, the impact of character education can be evaluated through surveys completed by those who have undergone training and by employers of those students.

Ethical Relativism - There are no standards of what is right or wrong beyond what individuals or groups decide.

Values Clarification - Character education helps people identify their own values. This approach is a good starting point, but fails inasmuch as it does not distinguish preferences from moral values.

Self-Esteem - Character education designed to help students feel good about themselves. As important as this is, it is more important for students to feel good about themselves for the right reasons.

TrustworthinessRespectResponsibilityFairnessCaringCitizenship

Trustworthiness encompasses integrity, honesty, promise keeping, and loyalty.

Trust is essential to meaningful relationships, enduring and rewarding friendships, and successful associations in school, extra-curricular activities and the workplace.

Towers of trust are built stone by stone, yet no tower is so tall or so strong that it can stand when lies and deceptions undermine the stones at its base.

Treating people with respect means letting them know that their safety and happiness matter, that they are important and worthy simply because they are fellow human beings.

People are not things. All of us have a basic right to be treated with dignity. The well being of all people is important. No person should be used simply as an instrument of another’s needs.

Life is full of choices. Being responsible means being in charge of our choices and, thus, our lives.

We can’t choose whether we are good-looking, smart or athletic. We can’t choose our parents or the circumstances in which we grow up. But all of us choose how to deal with the opportunities of life. From these choices, our character is formed.

Fairness implies adherence to a standard of rightness or lawfulness without reference to one’s own feeling or inclinations. It also implies freedom for or against any side.

Basic Rule of Fairness: Treat relevantly similar cases in relevantly similar ways.

Caring involves concern for other’s well being; compassion, empathy, kindness, charity, and love.

Being a responsible citizen includes:

participating in the democratic process by voting, serving on a jury, reporting crimes and testifying as a witness

playing by the rules, obeying the law, and paying all taxes

doing one’s share to protect the environment by conserving resources and minimizing waste and pollution.

Evaluate and choose among alternatives in manner consistent with the six pillars. Eliminate clearly unethical options. In

When ethical principles conflict (it is unkind to be honest) and there is no clear right response, we must make a choice of which principle to honor.

choosing among the remaining alternatives, remember that though there is often more than one ethical response, some are better than others.

Ethical conflicts are best resolved by a decision making process that helps us see the moral implications of our choices, sort out competing claims, and evaluate the long-term consequences of each option.

The Golden Rule

Kant’s Categorical Imperative

Consequentialism Utilitarianism

Provide brochures and pamphlets and/or develop a web page for use by students and the community.

Invite guest speakers to discuss issues of character and values, focusing especially on the practical importance of good character in the workplace.

Sponsor weekend symposia in which you bring together members of the college and the larger community to discuss issues related to character and values.

Offer a series of workshops (8 - 10 hours total) at no (or low) cost that would focus on the different components of character education. Completion of this workshop would enhance a students resume by showing prospective employers that the student’s education has involved more than just academics.

Bring together interested faculty and staff to discuss the components of character education and to consider their implications for the college environment. Answer such questions as: What values do members of the community share? To what extent is the college a moral community? How can character education be infused throughout the college?

For community college students who are parents, offer lectures, workshops on how to promote good character in one’s own children.

If there is sufficient interest from faculty and administration, offer a credit-bearing course on character education.

Explore possibilities of offering service-learning (volunteerism) program.