Editorial: Character Education - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Character Education

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 

  • Thursday, May 9 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-09 23:20:06 GMT
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
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MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - The formal education of our children is a complex and challenging task. There are many ideas about what works and what doesn't.

One idea that appears to work is character education.   Research by some of the nation's leading educators has found that teaching character principles has remarkable effects.

Students learn more than just academics; they learn how to be productive in the workplace.  More importantly, they learn to be better people.

Fifteen years ago, Alabama passed a law requiring public schools to teach character principles.  The Alabama Character Education Mandate requires that state and local school boards implement a comprehensive character education program teaching 25 character traits at all grade levels and that a minimum of ten minutes a day be spent on character education.   However, there seems to be no consistent way in which character is being taught in Alabama. 

At this point in time a step in the right direction would be for all candidates in the November election to pledge their support for character education.  Then, when elected, do what the law requires, and teach character in our schools.   We'll all be better for it.

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