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Missouri Digital News
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Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
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Mo. Digital News
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Missouri Digital News
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Missouri Digital News
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Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
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Mo. Digital News
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Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - Robert Wilson, a fifth grader at Southern Boone County 3-5 Elementary school in Ashland, said he enjoys helping plan character education assemblies at his school because they get to "talk about respect."
Wilson is one of six students in the student council, which is made up of third to fifth graders. The group helps plan and run the school's character education program. Each month, the council chooses a character word for the month, explained Cathy Rust, building principal.
This kind of character based education at Southern Boone County Elementary is an example of one of Governor Bob Holden's major policy initiatives this legislative session.
Southern Boone's student council has incorporated traits such as honesty, tolerance and citizenship into their programs this year. The group presents that months' word in a spirit assembly as well as puts up a display in the school of the character education word.
Currently, this school does not rely on any money from the state to support their character education program. The program is not part of the school's curriculum, Rust said. But rather just the student council showing leadership.
Southern Boone Elementary's program serves as an example of one of the many schools in the state that integrate a character education program into students' days.
Under Holden's plan, Southern Boone Elementary could apply for some of the $1 million that he has proposed for the state's annual budget for the 2002 fiscal year.
In the next four years, Holden said he would like every Missouri school that wants to integrate character education to have access to the funds.
Molly Oilar, fifth grade teacher, said the character education program at the school has increased respect and involvement among students.
"It unites us and creates an atmosphere for learning -- it runs a lot smoother if people treat each other with respect and dignity," Oilar said.
This program has been a part of the school since the beginning of this year, Rust said.
Holden stressed that he wants the state to work together with local school districts.
"Character education is actually defined by the schools themselves, this is not mandated by the state or federal level," Holden said. "There's nothing that's wrong with teaching honesty, integrity and civic responsibility and good citizenship, but, it has to be done in the context of what the local schools and local community want, because they are the ones that make decisions, we just want to be a partner with them."
Holden stresses that character education is not meant to be a substitute for parents teaching their children character at home.
"I think, where possible, the parents and churches should be actively involved, but sadly, in some homes, in some circumstances, maybe there's not enough emphasis on some of the character traits that we all like to see; honesty, integrity and truthfulness," Holden said.
Rust says that she has not received any complaints from parents about the program.
"The parents appreciate the focus the kids have had," Rust said. "Parents have been very supportive of the decisions that the school makes."
Stacy Summa, Robert's mother said, "it amazes me" that parents would not want this program taught in school.
She said she thought character education should be taught at both home and school. "It should be reinforced 24 hours a day."
Republican floor leader, Sen. Bill Kenney, R-Lee's Summit, agrees that "character development is obviously important in every segment of our society."
Kenney, who has children in public, private and home schools, said he thinks the basic character qualities can be taught in public schools, but questions the traits that would be taught in such schools.
"When I home school my children, I am able to teach them the character traits that I want them to hold. If I send my children to a parochial school, I understand that they would be learning Catholicism. The difficulty when you send your children to a public school, is what character traits do you teach?" Kenney said.
Although Holden has commented in the past that the budget for the 2001 fiscal year will be tight, he does expect his character education program to pass. There have been no notable objections to the $1 million, said Jerry Nactigal, the governor's spokesperson.
While there appears to be no opposition to this plan, it faces a fiscal bind. There are not enough resources to go around, said Rep. Robert Hilgemann, D-St. Louis City, who is sponsoring the House bill that encompasses Holden's plan.
Hearings have not been heard yet by the House Elementary and Secondary Education committee. The committee's chairman, Rep. Dick Franklin, D-Independence, said there were over 90 bills assigned to his committee this session and he picked the most important.
"It's too late to do anything with it. There were evidently more pressing education bills to hear," said Franklin, who co-sponsored the bill on Holden's behalf.
With only about a month left in the legislative session and several bills still waiting their turn for debate on the House and Senate floor, any measure still in the committee would appear to have little chance of passage this year. But, Holden's plan could get amended onto another bill, and still have a chance of passing this session.