Do Rural Schools Need Character Education?

Overview & Synopsis

Studies suggest that the challenge of violence in public schools can be met through character education, whether by providing a school culture in which core values are practiced or some form of moral training (indoctrination). To assess the need for character education in rural schools, small-school superintendents and board members in central Missouri were surveyed; 106 responded. Results show that 50 percent thought the nation's schools were not doing a good job of teaching core values, and 92 percent believed a need exists for character education in the curriculum. Ninety-four percent believed some type of character education should be offered in their own districts, and 75 percent responded that school culture and modeling were not sufficient by themselves. Many thought character education should be offered through the counseling and guidance curriculum at both the elementary and high school levels. (SAS)