My husband and I presently

have an unfulfilled vision which would join both sides of the family together

in an educational mission to teach character/citizenship education ("anti-racism"

is one of the major focuses) and competency/academic skills education.

I am a old elementary school

teacher and presently a teacher educator who is passionate about moral

education. Moral issues have traditionally been included in our American

public schools' curriculums. I discovered character/citizenship education

when I was looking for a dissertation topic in l987 while I was studying

at Georgia State University that would really make a difference in the

public education system of this country.

I have been trying to stay

involved in Georgia's character education programs for years, but up to

now, I have only been able to push it as an adjunct teacher educator at

the State University of West Georgia and Kennesaw State University. Being

retired military, we have no political power. I have circulated for years

a proposal to be the character education coordinator for the state of

Georgia from the offices of Johnny Isaakson, of President Betty Siegel

(KSU), the Georgia Humanities Council, the Bagwell College of Education

(KSU), the Center for Leadership, Ethics & Character (KSU), and the

Georgia Board of Regents.

Now the Georgia Center for

Character Education Library has been "orphaned," and the issue,

I feel, is getting lost in the funding and political struggles of the

Georgia Capitol building. There are groups like the New Common Sense who

feel like me that politics has no place when educating children.

The main present concern for

Georgia educators is to come in to compliance with President George Bush's

"No Child Left Behind Act." The Capitol Education Center on

June 16-18, 2003, held a Character Education and History Conference sponsored

A great idea, but registration was limited to only 30 participants. Small

attempts are being made but I feel a concerted, "fly-over,"

"whole-truth" approach to character and competency is needed.

Let me hear from you if you

are interested in this effort. Of course money is needed, but the office

and phones, etc. are already set up in our home. The passion is there

and the knowledge is there. The love for people is there. Let's get with

it!

Dr. Knox Herndon and Dr. Lydia

Herndon

Fayetteville, Ga.

[email protected]

[Knox Herndon writes a column

for The Sunday Citizen.]