Ask a child please, Why is it important to strive to be "good"?

I submit, subject to your criticism, that there are only two possible answers;

• because it is in my "self interest", and
  
• because it is "the right thing to do".

... because the reward or consequence for the choice, compels me to do the "right" thing, or

... because I believe that I have to do the right thing, regardless of the reward or sacrifice.


I submit further, that the younger a child is, the more likely
it is that they will cite their own self interest. And, that
as they mature into adults, they are more likely to resist
temptation, even at some considerable self sacrifice.
(in general, and with far too many exceptions)

Our (only) hope is that as children mature,
they will acquire and embrace virtue.

For the first time in a very long time, I find myself right now
at a loss for words. I find myself unable to articulate a feeling.
I can't explain virtue, whether it is taught, or learned,
quantifiable, qualifiable, ...

But if you are with me so far, and if you understand what I mean, and if you agree that it is important that we do everything that we can to insure that the next generation is one with at least some virtue, we can continue together to the end of the post.

"Teddy" Roosevelt observed and remarked that if you give the next generation the tools to be successfully corrupt, and at the same time do nothing to insure that those skills will not be used against the community interest, you have created a menace to society. (derived)

He observed and wrote that, character counts,
he wasn't writing in terms of a merchandising gimick,
but more in terms of a declarative sentence.

It is time to decide publicly, whether we would have
the 89,000 of our sons and daughters in the APS,
respond to cheating with virtue,
or with better cheating skills.

A person without virtue is corruptible. Absolutely.

The greater the virtue, the greater the resistance to
omnipresent temptation.

The lesser the virtue, the lesser the resistance to temptation.

Do we or do we not want the issue of creating character
and virtue to be an integral part of public education?



Should we agree that public schools have at least some responsibility, and if we can agree that role modeling plays at least some role in character building, then role modeling by the leadership of the APS is an issue worthy of illumination.



Because corruption is always rewarded,
it is always in the self interest of the corrupt
to be corrupt. It is why people become corrupt.

But corruption exists only because it is allowed to exist.

Corruption exists only because we lack the will to end it;
we lack the will to provide real accountability.
We are in fact, afraid to hold powerful people like superintendents and school board presidents accountable for their conduct and competence as public servants.

Accountability is fatal to corruption. Absolutely.


If we do not provide for children,
a world that provides honest accountability to
meaningful standards of conduct;
we are simply lying to them when we tell them
cheaters never win.

If we allow cheating, cheaters will always win.

If we expect our children to obey rules, the very least we can do is everything we can do, to make sure that following the rules remains in their self interest. At least until they acquire virtue, and our external influence is no longer necessary.



So where are children to acquire virtue?

At home, in church, from their family, from their friends ...

OK, but what are we to do with the children who do not have lives which provide for them, any reason to resist temptation?


It really does take a community to raise a child.
And because this community at large has abdicated its
responsibility, the APS ,the only remaining option,
for that reason, becomes the best possible option.

Character will not count for students in the APS
for exactly as long as it does not count for people like
Beth Everitt/Linda Sink and Paula Maes.


The only thing that makes it impossible for children
in the APS to acquire at least some virtue at school;

Is the unwillingness of board members and senior administrators to be held honestly accountable as role models, even for eight measly hours a day.


That, and the cloak of invisibility provided for them
by Phill Casaus, Kent Walz, and Thomas J Lang
Michelle Donaldson news director KRQE TV,
Thomas Pearl, acting news director KOB TV
and Sue Stephens, news director at KOAT TV.