Justification for Change: The Need

Introduction

“To develop the reasoning faculties of our youth, enlarge their minds, cultivate their morals, and instill into them the precepts of virtue and order…” In this simple statement, Thomas Jefferson proposed a radical idea which would revolutionize our new nation. He set forth the need for public education, but not simply for the instruction of concepts of knowledge and formulas. Thomas Jefferson sought public education as a necessary requirement to formulate character in the youth of our new nation.

 

“To form them to habits of reflection and correct action, rendering them examples of virtue to others and of happiness within themselves.  These are the objects of that higher grade of education, the benefits and blessings of which the Legislature now propose to provide for the good and ornament of their country.” (1818 Report of the Commissioners for the University of Virginia)

 

 

Jefferson new from history, that nations with depleted morals, inconsequential ethics, and “no-absolutes” or relativism were fated for failure.  From the Roman Empire to Napoleon, countries whose leadership and constituency lost “virtue” were destined for ruin.  Jefferson would be appalled and gravely concerned about the “virtue” of today’s youth and the lack of “citizen virtues” or character development offered in today’s public education. For this reason, Wisconsin Career Academy as a provider of public education must proffer a radical overall of its discipline structure, insist upon one-on-one mentorship for its students, create a character development plan, and implement a system of rewards -- role-modeling students who demonstrate “habits of reflection and correct action.”

 

Statistical Information and Data

In the 1987 movie “Wall Street”, the main character demonstrated that cheating led to success. At one point in the movie he even confesses that “greed is good.”  It is this mindset which has overcome our country’s youth over the past two decades.  Our students no longer know right from wrong and condone unethical approaches to achieve their goals. In a recent national survey conducted by the Josephson Institute, 82% of middle school and high school age youth admitted they lied to their parents over the last year, almost 60% two or more times; over 60% did it to a teacher. 33% plagiarized material; 60% cheated on a test at school. Almost 25% of youth surveyed stole from a family member; 28% from a store and 60% affirmed that “in the real world, successful people do what they have to do to win, even if others consider it cheating.”  Almost a fourth of today’s youth believe that by lying, cheating and breaking rules – you can be successful.  Even more sadly, our youth are desensitized into thinking that this is normal.  92% said they were “satisfied with their own ethics and character.” (The Josephson Institute’s Report Card on the Ethics of Today’s Youth, 2006)

 

These horrifying statistics are consistent with a freshman survey I conducted in my English classroom at WCA in 2006.  To better know my students, I asked for a response on six simple statements.  The statements were:

 

  1. Cheating is acceptable.  Never – Sometimes – Always
  1. My education is essential for my success. Yes – Maybe – No
  1. I will do whatever it takes to be successful, even if it is illegal.  Yes – Maybe – No
  1. I may cheat during the next four years.  Yes – Maybe – No
  1. Copying songs from someone else’s’ CD or a movie from someone else’s DVD is acceptable.  Never – Sometimes – Always
  1. I will graduate in four years. Yes – Maybe – No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of the almost 90 students that I surveyed at WCA, 72% said they would consider doing something illegal in order to succeed. 86% said they would consider cheating; almost 70% said during their high school career and 84% of students considered pirating music and movies acceptable.  Ironically, 72% of the freshman still considered education essential for their success and 82% of them planned to graduate by the time they were seniors.  It is obvious that WCA students are not exempt from the “values” issues affecting public education.

 

To make matters worse, during the 2005-06 school year, Milwaukee Public Schools identified WCA as having too many suspensions and ranked it 23rd among all MPS schools for the total number of suspensions.  With a student body of just 327 students, there were 851 suspensions, 91% were school violations and WCA was 11% higher than the MPS average.  These behavioral suspensions were predominately given for disrespect toward teachers and/or peers, inappropriate behavior, and total disregard for rules. A perusal of the suspensions shows violations for burglary, sexual impropriety, inappropriate language, bullying and cheating; in essence, an overall break-down in student values and “character.”  This value break-down is re-enforced by our school’s designation as an “at risk” student body by the Department of Public instruction.

 

Our community does little to stabilize these disheartening statistics.  Last year, several local MPS schools had all out riots which included participation by disillusioned parents and gang activity is on rise again throughout the city.  Racism prevails as Newsweek magazine has called Milwaukee the second most segregated city in America and last year we were honored with the distinction of having the largest teen pregnancy rate in America.

 

Where do we go from here?  

In a city seeking solutions and a school district concentrating more on closing schools, parents are fleeing to alternative havens of education.  They are hoping for a change in the education of their children.  They are looking unsuccessfully to charter, choice, and parochial schools, only to see that the problem prevails across district borders and classroom methodology. I propose that the hope is not in a different school, it is in the re-applying of “values” within a school. It is the re-introduction of morals, precepts of virtue and the teaching of order – all prescribed by the founder of public education, Thomas Jefferson himself.