Character Education

“Love all; trust a few; do wrong to none.”  -- Shakespeare

This issue of the “Character Rocks Newsletter” will be devoted to a variety of inspirational and motivational readings to share/use with your students and/or family.  The first two are dedicated to our Veterans.  (Should you come across ones or have some sent to you, please forward them to me.  I will use them in future “CRN” and credit you for sending them.  Thank you. 

IT IS THE VETERAN (Gr. 4-12)
Veterans Day is on November 11, and most schools and many classes have activities and hold special celebrations.  Below is a good message to read to your students.

It is the Veteran who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer/demonstrator, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the Veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us a right to a fair trial by jury.
It is the Veteran, not the nightly news pundits, who answers the call of duty to serve their country.
It is the Veteran, many of whom gave their lives, who has helped us to maintain our democracy and help bring peace and democracy to other countries.
Never forget, it is the VETERAN!
May God bless those in the past, present and yet to come. 

REMEMBERING THE VETERAN… (If you read this and “dong feel chills,” check for a “heartbeat!”
What is a Veteran?  A “Veteran”--whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to, and including his life.”
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country today who no longer understand that fact.

A LESSON THAT SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN ALL SCHOOLS
(Submitted by Mike Fishburn, Coordinator of School Safety & Security)
Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, Arkansas did something not to be forgotten.  On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.
Looking around, confused, they asked, ' Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'  She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.'
They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'  'No,' she said.
Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.  By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren’s classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk less classroom.  Martha Cothren said, “Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.”  At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.  By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Martha said, “You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.”
By the way, this is a true story. You can verify this by clicking onto  www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks

WHAT IF YOUR GUY LOST THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?
(Submitted by Gina Apple, Administrative Assistant, Indian Creek Elementary)
Well, every four years in America we vote for the President of the United States, and every four years on the day after there is weeping and gnashing of teeth by the losing side. And the truth is, the losing side is just about as large as the winning side. Amazingly, there could be 60 million people who vote for the ticket that did not win on November 4th, 2008.
That's a ton of people who'll have a choice to make. The choice to whine, complain, bemoan, and blame—or simply bring personal accountability to their daily walk by asking The Question Behind the Question (QBQ), "What can I do today to move on?" The new President-Elect, Barack Obama must ask himself, "How can I be my best on the job?" and "What can I do to serve people?"
And for the winning side, where does personal accountability come into play? Will this group think that now all is right with the world? It's so easy to give a U.S. President too much power—in our minds—over our lives. It always makes me laugh when, with our massive, ever-changing, and complex economy, we think it's all about the man in the Oval Office. The truth is, economies go up and they go down—and then they go up again. By their very nature they are cyclical. When they're strong, the President gets too much applause, and when they slump he's buried in way too much blame. How dangerous these thoughts would be: "Yes! My guy won! Now I'll have a better job and more income and good finances and perfect health and a happier life and…!"
Really? Does the President have that much power, influence, and control? Would we, in a democracy, want him to? Can he give and take away joy? Will he help me get my personal finances in order? Will his tenure improve my personal relationships or keep me in shape? Do I really need my guy to be in the Oval Office for me to excel at my work, love and provide for my family, and contribute to the lives of others?
My wife gave me a t-shirt that reads: It's All About Me! I didn’t think it was a positive statement the day she handed it to me, but in reality, aren't my successes and set backs all about me? Isn't it about me taking ownership for my personal growth; me contributing; me setting and reaching goals?  Me loving life? Me loving my country?
Yes, regardless of who's in the Oval Office and what political party is in charge of Congress, it's really all about personal responsibility—individuals making good choices each day, and being accountable for those choices.
And for all of you who vote for the guy who doesn't make it, I say TAKE HEART! There'll be another election in 2012 and another round of advertising and debates. And that campaign will begin in January...2009!
Meanwhile, I recommend using what we call the Ultimate QBQ! - "What can I do right now to let go of what I can't control?" Remember, no matter who is elected as the next President of the United State, for each American there is no debate: The answers are still in the questions, and personal accountability is still the secret to our success.                                                                                                                                                            -- John Miller

NOTHING’S CHANGED
The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of public officials should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest our country become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance.                                  -- Cicero, 55 B.C. (Rome)

There are 12 remaining opportunities for the “2009 Edition of the Character Rocks T-Shirt.”  (Email me directly your name, size and school.)  The names will be drawn at random, and you will be notified.  Shirts will be delivered in January 2009.

DIRT ROADS  (Submitted by Mike Fishburn, Coordinator of School Safety & Security)
What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved. There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.
People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride.  That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.
We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along. There was less crime in our streets before they were paved.
Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun. And there were no drive by shootings. Our values were better when our roads were worse!
People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks. Dirt Roads taught patience.
Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk. For your mail, you walked to the mail box.
What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody. At the end of Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole. At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.
At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out. Usually you got a dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road!                          --  Paul Harvey
EXCELLENT USER-FRIENDLY AND RELEVANT CHARACTER EDUCATION RESOURCE AND ACTIVITY BOOKS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR USE (Elementary, Middle and High School)
Email Dr. Hodgin your name, grade level and school, and he will send you some resources.  The first 15 who email me and say, “CAB” (Character Activity Book) will receive one to keep and share with your colleagues.

FTTLA (Funny Things To Laugh About) 

• Aunt Maggie says, “They hold elections in November because it’s the best time for picking out turkeys!”
• How’s this for a political platform…”Don’t lie through your teeth.”
• Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?
  • Barack Obama: “The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!”
  • John McCain: “My friends that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.”
  • Hillary Clinton: “When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road.  The experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road.  But then, this really isn’t about me.”
  • George W. Bush: “We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road.  The chicken is either against us, or for us.  There is no middle ground here.”
  • Nancy Pelosi: “Under this administration there has been an alarming number of chickens displaced and I intend to stop it.  We must pass a chicken crossing bill before all the chickens become displaced and this IS a crisis!”
  • Colin Powell:  “Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.”
  • Bill Clinton: “I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of crossing?”
  • Al Gore:  “I invented the chicken.”

(More in December)

“Teach today. Touch tomorrow.”