One of the best indexes we have on just how well our children are doing in the subject called “Character,” is a survey conducted by the Josephson Institute of Ethics. The nonprofit organization surveys U.S. high school students from coast to coast (all races, creeds, incomes, regions) using a battering of questions about their daily ethical behavior. And once again we should be concerned. Here’s just a samplying of the results: (For complete results you can refer to the website, www.charactercounts.com)

* 61% of students have cheated on an exam in the past year

* 28% have stolen from a store

* 23% have stolen from a parent or relative

* 39% have lied to save money.

These obviously are troubling trends. While we continue to push for “academic excellence,” it may behoove us to take a Reality Check: Are we emphasizing academics (”get the grade,” “pass the test,”) at the cost of character? When all is said and down, the grade matters little. It’s how our kids turn out that really will stand the test of time.

Michele Borba
www.micheleborba.com