It's important that there be a partnership. The Character Education Partnership, the leading national organization promoting character education, is called that precisely to convey a very clear message that it is not the job of schools, families, or religious institutions alone. Some examples are schools communicating to families that the family is the primary character educator of the child, helping parents to know how powerful they are, sharing some of the basic research that shows the difference parents make by spending time with children. The media has emerged as a powerful social institution competing for the conscience of the child. The electronic media has enormous influence.
Schools can help in several ways.
For instance, teachers and directors can develop media literacy to help children think critically about what they're watching on the TV set or in movies. Schools can encourage parents to monitor what children watch, making sure that the programs they are viewing convey positive values rather than negative ones. Finally, they can also encourage parents to cut back on the amount of television the family watches. If the child is third grade and up, a maximum of one hour a day. A parent representative can serve on both committees.