Character education is as old as education itself.
The American Founders believed that democracy has a special need for character education, because democracy is government by the people themselves. Respect for the rights of individuals, regard for law, voluntary participation in public life, and concern for the common good. In the early days of the republic, the Bible was the source book of both moral and religious instruction. The secularizing of society and the fear that teaching morality in the schools would mean teaching religion. As societal moral problems have worsened, character education has made a comeback.