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Ethics
Today Online This newsletter
is published by the Ethics Resource Center.
"The Character of Our Nation, the Character of Our World" The last decade has seen an explosion of interest and programs focusing on character education, and the Ethics Resource Center has been an active partner in this development. Our flagship program MAXIMize the Moment is found in schools throughout the United States and in several other countries. I would be remiss, however, if I didn't recognize the work of hundreds of other character education programs throughout the country. The work of our colleagues in programs such as the Josephson Institute, the Heartwood Institute, and Community of Caring are all recognized and appreciated and organizations such as the Character Education Partnership also serve to advance the field. I would like to believe that we are all moving forward on the character front. There are more programs in the schools in the United States and we have, to this point, been spared the tragedy of more Columbines. I believe strong ethical values are the foundation of a strong nation and ultimately a world at peace. In this spirit, I share the following concerns about the current state of the character education movement. I believe we need to address a more complex series of issues; some of these are strategic, others are tactical, but all will have an impact on the success of character education. First, have character education programs become too rigid, too stale? For many school systems character education means simply buying a pre-formatted program and doing the same thing each year. Students are exposed to one-dimensional thinking about ethics and character and memorize a catechism without ever understanding its content. Ethics is dynamic. Our education programs must be dynamic as well. Second, do character education programs work? And, if they work, why? The Department of Education has recently started funding programmatic research but the grants are designed mostly to address how and where the programs exist. The more fundamental questions are approached piecemeal. There should be a strong research agenda in character education, with a solid empirical foundation, which focuses on how the discipline can learn and grow from experience. Third, the notion of character education has been centered on the elementary school years. I think this attitude is a profound mistake. It assumes an inoculation model of character education: like polio, you get all of the vaccinations when you are young and are protected for life. There is no evidence that I know of that would lead to this conclusion. In fact, it could be argued that character education is more important in junior high school and high school. I also believe that a solid argument can be made for character education in college and in post-graduate professional schools where many dismiss ethics because "ethics is part of every course." In reality, if it is taught in every course, it is really not ever taught. Professional ethics is a discipline and it ought to grow out of a character education foundation. Fourth, while character education must teach the virtues, it should also be pragmatic. The impact of character education is that we live out our values in our daily lives. Traits like trustworthiness, honesty, and responsibility are at the forefront of our nation's headlines because those values were not given priority in various decision-making processes. To what extent are the character education lessons taught in schools tied to daily examples of relating to one another and learning the importance of character in the world? The school-to-work connection has not yet been developed in the character education field. Last, what is the global impact and effect of character education? What are the common issues across borders and across cultures? Most students of the area agree with Sisela Bok's argument in Common Values: cultural values seldom cause a difference in ethical values. The differences we see across cultures are not so much disagreements about what ethical values are important but rather how they are expressed within a society. Understanding the dynamics of this process is critical to effectively moving to a global economy and a more peaceful world. In summary, we need to think more closely about the future of character education and the objectives of the next generation of programs. Ultimately, this is a partnership for the future that will have an impact on us all. Stuart Gilman, Ph.D. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Opinion Poll: Impact of Current Events on the Next Generation Which current event do you think will have the greatest impact on the values of our next generation?
Take our poll at: /cfpoll.cfm Last Month's Poll: 72% of those responding to last month's poll answered yes to the question "If the recent corporate scandals result in more restrictive government legislation, do you think it will reduce unethical conduct?" See the results
of last month's poll at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Developing a Home/School Code of Conduct In their article "A Commitment for Our Kids" (Our Children, September 2002), Patricia J. Harned, Ph.D., Managing Director of Programs, and Katie Sutliff, Associate Consultant, propose developing and using a home/school code of conduct to serve as a guideline for teachers and parents who want to work together to improve a child's school experience. The article includes a sample code based on real life answers from parents and teachers. View and download
a copy of the code at: Read the article
at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Maximizing Our Character Education Efforts "Many people define honesty as 'telling the truth.' But does that really tell the whole story? Is that enough? In this week's Maximize, one teen is given the chance to buy something illegal. He'll never get in trouble. Everyone else is doing it. He won't be telling a lie. But is it honest?" This message accompanies a current lesson from the ERC's Maximize the Moment (MTM) program, a subscription character education tool available to middle and high schools throughout the United States via web or fax. The messages used in this program and in the related programs for elementary schools and families stress good character in ways students will remember. Started just a year ago, Maximize now has 57 school subscribers in 18 states and 3 countries. Katie Sutliff, the program coordinator, continues to expand the program and anticipates adding new features this year such as a bulletin board where subscribers can share ideas, an online database of maxims, pages containing links to information about the maxims' authors and the issues and challenges featured in the lessons, and other interactive options that allow subscribers to submit their ideas for lessons and new features. Get more information
about Maximize the Moment and its related programs at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Special Thanks to the Templeton Foundation The ERC is fortunate to benefit from its relationships with like-minded organizations. Maximize the Moment is supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, which lists one of its goals as "to encourage institutions of learning to incorporate training towards excellence in character in their efforts to prepare the next generation for service." Find out more
about the John Templeton Foundation at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Developing a Code of Conduct for a Corporate Board of Directors: A Roadmap Generally speaking, codes of conduct for corporate boards of directors may be viewed as a recent phenomenon. More traditionally boards have been governed solely by a set of by-laws, or operational/procedural practices. In some cases the by-laws may have been supplemented by a document describing roles, responsibilities, perhaps even underscoring certain legal obligations or issues. A code of conduct is different from by-laws or a statement of roles and responsibilities. A code of conduct outlines a set of fundamental principles, whether or not they are the basis for certain operational or legal requirements or prohibitions. Those principles help boards understand why the by-laws direct behavior in certain ways, why the laws require or prohibit certain actions and what is to be done when the by-laws and legal strictures are ambiguous or subject to interpretation. A code addresses the values of an organization and how they reflect the values of the larger society. It helps the board define what is right, fair, just and good in those cases where it may be less than obvious which path constitutes the high road. It defines operational ideals. Read the rest
of this story at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Thomas Earl Patton of the law firm Tighe Patton Armstrong Teasdale, PLLC presented an informative session to ERC staff recently on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as they pertain to ethical decision-making in corporations. Mr. Patton is an expert on business crime and SEC enforcement proceedings and currently serves as the distinguished lecturer in White Collar Crime at Catholic University Law School. Read notes from
this presentation at: Read the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act at: Read the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stephen Potts, ERC Fellows Chairman and Former Director of the Office of Government Ethics, responded via letter to the editor to a September 29, 2002, Washington Post column entitled "What Price Ethics?". "In support of a publication addressing the financial disclosure and confirmation process, on Sunday David S. Broder called the ethics process for government officials costly and cumbersome. As the former Director of the US Office of Government Ethics (OGE), I write to suggest an answer to Mr. Broder's ultimate question. What price ethics? The cost of ethics regulation might be expensive, but the result is something to be valued. Literally and figuratively." Read the rest
of the letter at: Read David Broder's
original column at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Ask the Expert One of the regular features on the new ERC web site allows readers to submit questions concerning general questions about ethics, with the answers being published online. This month, Frank Navran responds to the question "What is the difference between loyalty and whistle blowing and how are they related?" Read the answer
at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Media Coverage and Publications -- ERC President
Stuart Gilman was interviewed by Newsweek for its September 23,
2002 article "Is Your Boss Honest? How to determine if your
company is unethical." -- Stu also was a guest for a roundtable discussion on ethics on the Career Partners program on radio station WMAL on September 14. -- Lee Wan Veer, Director of Advisory Services, appeared on CNN Financial News on an August 29 program discussing the issue of whether employee owned organizations are likely to be more ethical. -- A press release issued by the ERC Fellows in July continued to make the news. SHRM used it to lead into an article discussing the need for HR professionals to help spread messages about fair and ethical behavior, choose ethical leaders and help leaders model the kind of behavior they want their employees to have. The article, entitled "Executives, HR must set moral compass, says ethics group" appeared in the September 2002 issue of HR News. The Fellows also made the front page of the September issue of PA Times, published by the American Society for Public Administration. That article was entitled "National Experts on Corporate Ethics Meet." -- An account of principal consultant Frank Navran's interactive session with the members of the South Florida Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants appeared in the Sun-Sentinal (Florida) newspaper on September 25. Attendees at his session pondered ethical dilemmas at a special meeting devoted to ethics. Read the story
at: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Thinking Globally The events of September 11, 2001, touched all of our lives. As we paused last month to remember those who were lost, we also renewed our efforts to help people and organizations, both here and abroad, carry on with a spirit of courage, community, and respect for each other. Read our Statement
of Intent Regarding ERC Involvement in Other Nations at: Look for more news on the ERC's international programs in the next issue of Ethics Today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- ERC President Stuart Gilman spoke to the 2002-2003 class at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, on September 13. Approximately 350 faculty and students attended including officers from all branches of the US military and senior executives from the executive branch, the State Department and the Department of Defense. This was the kickoff lecture of the ICAF Values, Ethics, and Leadership program. -- Acting Director of International Programs, Cherie Raven traveled to Istanbul Turkey to meet with members of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Ethical Values Center/TEDMER (Türkiye Etik Degerler Merkezi) before traveling on to Fethiye to participate in that group's strategic planning retreat. The Board retreat was designed to refine the center's strategic direction, following up on a retreat held last August and in response to the hiring of the Center's executive director, Ufuk Batum. Ufuk Batum has a background in information technology and political consulting and has traveled extensively throughout the world. TEDMER, with the ERC and local firm Strateji Mori, has recently completed a Turkish national business ethics survey modeled on the ERC's NBES. Results of the survey will be released at the Center's launch scheduled for October 22, 2002 in Istanbul. ERC President Stuart Gilman will speak at the event. With its new staff, an active Board of Directors and corporate members entering their second year, TEDMER is poised to have a real impact on raising the ethical standards of business practices in Turkey. A number of pilot projects are planned following the launch event including one in the health care sector and another with one of Turkey's large holding companies. Learn more about
TEDMER at: -- Lee Wan Veer will be one of the featured panelists for Wilmott & Associates Autumn Executive Event "The Role of Human Resources in Corporate Governance: Implications & Opportunities" on November 1 in Vienna, VA. -- Tarek DeLavallade, Associate Consultant, Character Development, regularly attends local and national conferences in order to introduce the ERC's character development and Maximize the Moment programs. In October, he will be going to the Character Education Partnership's 9th National Forum "Cultivating Citizens For A Changing World" (October 17-19, 2002) in Atlanta, GA, and the Annual Institute of Virginia Association of Federal Education Program Administrators conference (October 15-16, 2002) in Roanoke, VA. -- On September 17 Jerry O'Brien and Josh Joseph were guest speakers at a University of Maryland graduate seminar course entitled "Global Public Relations" taught by Prof. Katherine McComas in the department of communications. -- Troy State University and the American Society for Public Administration Section on Ethics are sponsoring a national conference on ethics in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, June 6 - 10, 2003. The program committee invites interested participants to submit paper proposals to be considered for conference presentation. Get more information and a link to their website at: /events_other.html#papers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Offering Our Thanks As a nonprofit organization, the Ethics Resource Center depends on contributions from many generous donors. Without their dedication and trust, many of the programs and projects highlighted in this newsletter would not be possible. The ERC would like to thank the following for their recent contributions:
We invite you
to join our loyal contributors in lending your support. To find
out how to contribute or to donate online, go to: Federal Employees: Please consider making a donation to the ERC through the Combined Federal Campaign. The fall drive is currently underway and ends December 15th. The ERC's CFC # is 2456. A special note of appreciation to EmailLabs (www.emaillabs.com) for donating a large part of its standard fees for e-mail list management services. Their top caliber service will give us the ability to produce Ethics Today more effectively and to develop new online publications, which serve our constituency and support our mission. Over the next few issues, you will likely notice changes in this newsletter as we explore our new capabilities. We welcome your comments! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** Share Ethics Today With a Friend You are invited to forward this newsletter in its entirety to anyone you think might benefit. If you received the newsletter from a friend and would like to receive your own issue every month, please visit our subscribe page at /today/et_subscribe.html. We will not share your e-mail address with outside third parties. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Ethics Resource Center (ERC) is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization exempt from taxation under the Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Copyright (c)
2002 Ethics Resource Center. All rights reserved. Please contact ethics@ethics.org for information about reproducing any of the information contained within this newsletter or on our web site The Ethics Resource
Center, 1747 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400
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