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Character Counts for Everything

Every year at this time I get several e-mails from companies regarding celebrating “Character Counts Week,” which frustrate and sadden me. Has education reverted to such a place that we actually have to “celebrate” character once a year? If so, then we have failed to educate. To say something “counts” is to say that something is one of several components. In the case of “Character Counts Week”, character has been diluted to a once-a-year-focus in education. There are an average of 36 weeks in the school year or 180 days. To focus on character for one week, or just five days, is just 3% of the entire school year. If you don’t have character then any and all intelligence you do have is for naught.

Malcolm Gladwell provides a perfect example of this in his book, “Outliers.” In it he tells the story of the most intelligent man in America who has an IQ of over 200. He is brilliant devouring entire texts in less than a day and remembering everything. He can solve any problem and win any argument with his vast knowledge. This man has no college degree, he failed junior college and he lives by himself. In addition to his superior intellect, he has a massive amount of pride that keeps him from using his gifts as a productive member of society. He will never get his work published. He has failed to learn the most important thing– character, i.e. humility, is foundational. Character does not just count. Character counts for everything.

Virtue must be the foundation upon which education is built not only for our children, but for society as a whole. Virtue is the fertile ground in which we sow knowledge and cultivate critical thinking skills.

Out of necessity, this does not happen just one week out of the year – it is woven into everything we do because character is the foundation upon which all true education must be built.

Scott Phillips, J.D. is the CEO and Headmaster for Heritage Classical Charter Schools/Temecula Preparatory School. Twitter: @ https://twitter.com/Scott_HCCS