Finally, CBS News has profiled the successful character education initiative in the Nash-Rocky Mount school system. Character education works because it teaches our children to view the world through a moral lens. It works because children learn that bad actions have consequences, and that honesty, integrity and discipline are rewarded. As a society we have a moral obligation to ensure that our children have every opportunity in life to succeed. However, our students cannot be successful in schools torn apart by violence, misbehavior and disrespect.
Character counts in life and it counts in our schools as well.
I am pleased to be working with Congressman Wamp on this initiative, and together we are going convince Congress that character education should become a priority for our nation's schools. Etheridge, the only former state schools chief in Congress, commissioned a report as State Superintendent of Schools in 1993 that has led to many of the state's character education efforts today. The text of the letter to President Bush and a summary of the bill appear below.