Everyday Canvas

Character is more important than achievement

Prompt: Where teaching in schools and universities are concerned, shouldn't character be as important as the intellect? Shouldn't students who are otherwise smart and capable be held responsible for the crimes they commit, such as bullying, robbery, rape, and destructiveness, or should we just overlook their crimes because they are so capable?

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The word character comes from an ancient Greek term referring to the indelible marks on coins. In the same way, once character is pressed into a student’s mind or soul, we hope it is fixed for good.

Not always, however. Good and bad aren’t black and white concepts all the time, and when someone we see as good does something bad and out of character, we are shocked. As much as we value a balanced moral stance in people, human psyche is fluid and ever-changing. With that in mind, life lessons as to morality, treatment of others, and responsibility for one’s own actions should be impressed on the student strongly enough that, if a change happens, some values will hold on to save the student from further wrongdoing.

Learning is exhilarating and gratifying, but it is also very hard. By learning here, I don’t mean the subjects taught in schools and books; I mean learning about how to behave in life. For that, students need motivation, self-respect, and good will. If what they do wrong goes unheeded, how are they going to learn to hold on to moral values? How are they going to fix their mistakes, if they are not aware what those mistakes mean in a civilized society?

With the younger, under-age students we can probably practice leniency as to punishment, but the student must be made aware that his actions were wrong, and the educators must make sure that the lesson is well learned, so the mishap or crime won’t be repeated again. At this level, there are accompanying concerns for the students as to their background and home life. These areas need a lot of attention, as well.

On the higher levels of education, however, people are considered to be adults. A responsible adult does not steal, harass, bully, or kill. No matter how great an athlete the student is, no matter how smart and capable with what the curriculum asks, at this level, I believe, the students should face the consequences of their actions like any adult in a civilized society.