This is an interesting and complex book. In a relatively short argument (just over 100 pages of large type on 5" by 7" pages), Carl Sommer attempts to demonstrate quantitatively through data and qualitatively through observation that an “anticulturalism” mindset in our nation has resulted in a demise in moral education of students in our public schools. Sommer, writing from his experiences with publishing children’s books and as a substitute teacher, along with national statistics on a number of troubling issues, such as violent crimes, teen suicide, and the growth in prison populations, argues the need for a more comprehensive approach to character education in our schools. He argues that the teaching of morality is not a matter of “values clarification,” naturalism as he refers to it, but is a complex matter of traditional values and cultural norms being instilled over time through a comprehensive and somewhat systematic effort.
After providing a brief history as to personal experiences and what has brought him to write this book, Sommer hits hard at the heart of the matter; the United States has a serious character crisis as demonstrated by the reality that the nation is at the top of the developed world in violent crime activity, rates of imprisonment, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, and teen suicide. And while many of these societal matters cannot be resolved by a comprehensive character education offered through public school education, Sommer rightfully argues that if no effort is made to begin resolving these matters on the K-12 school level, then it is unlikely that other efforts to counter these trends will be successful.
Throughout the book, Sommer expresses well the impact that a belief system based upon the notion that there are no moral absolutes and values are situational has had on this current generation of young people. Readers should carefully consider his position that there is an overwhelming sense that acts that give individual pleasure are the decisive test of whether the act is good or evil. Sommer argues that the concept of ethics has become autonomous and situational. Even though his focus at times is more on the importance of character education for the purpose of developing a quality global workforce rather than the concept that “good character consists of understanding, caring about, and acting upon core ethical values” (www.character.org), his argument that more money should be spent in the area of character education is with merit.
Early on in the work it appears that Sommer’s purpose for writing this piece was to counter the negative review of his children’s book series “Another Sommer-Time Story” by the School Library Journal. However, as one progresses through the work the true purpose for writing it is revealed. He writes not because of what happened to him personally, but because the children’s books were rejected due to their focus on character development. According to Sommer, the nation has come to a crisis stage on the issue of character education. He argues that this crisis is the result of a battle between two ideologies: naturalism, which, as defined by Sommer, “advocates permissiveness, freedom without responsibility … and anti-Americanism” (p. 25); and the traditional American value system, which he defines as “law and order, freedom with responsibility, academic excellence … and patriotism” (p. 25). He believes that public schools in the United States have more readily embraced the ideology of naturalism and that this has been the leading factor in the decline of moral values. The result of embracing a naturalist ideology, according to Sommer, is that our society “has raised a self-indulgent, hedonistic group of youths” (p. 28). He continues by contending that “youths are doing what they were taught—making themselves happy” (p. 28).
Sommer rightfully points to the fact that the crisis of the public school system is not simply the familiar one of academic failure but that the teaching of traditional values is being omitted. A strange sense of irony is manifested in the fact that this work was written during the early stages of the high stakes testing movement, specifically the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, and well before the implementation of the Common Core States Standards Initiative. Still, at times throughout Chapter 2, Sommer tends to blend issues related to character development with those specific to academic achievement, giving the appearance that the issues are interchangeable at times. Even so, he rightfully suggests that schools need to provide students the kind of books necessary to learn the character principles of discipline, diligence, perseverance, proper work ethic, respect, self-discipline, and responsibility.
Sommer is emphatic in his argument that “the core problem facing our schools is a moral one.… All the various attempts at school reform are unlikely to succeed unless character education is put at the top of the agenda” (p. 54). In support of his position, Sommer cites a survey in an article entitled “Youths’ Lack of Values, Character Worries American Public” revealing that “only 37% of adults believe today’s children, once grown, will make the U.S. a better place” (p. 57). More than 60% of those surveyed believed that “youngster’s failure to learn such values as honesty, respect, and responsibility is a serious problem” (p. 57).
Readers who do not share Sommer Judeo-Christian values should not be quick to dismiss his point of view on this matter. Sommer rightfully points to the fact that today there are many who are demanding character education be taught in our schools and not necessarily from a Biblical standpoint. His arguments on religion in schools (pp. 74-76) in fact are designed to lead up to his culminating point, “though schools must be neutral with respect to religion, they may play an active role with respect to teaching civic values and virtue” (p. 76).
Sommer’s work provides interested readers with an intriguing argument in support of the need for comprehensive character education initiatives in public schools. Even so, he leaves a lot to be considered. For example, while he rightfully points out that currently many states mandate character education in schools, he fails to address the lack of enforcement and/or funding of such mandates. And, in some instances, his arguments seem contradictory to his position. For example, throughout the book he argues against an “anticulturalism” ideology in which “children as autonomous individuals should be left alone to develop” (p. 45), yet refers to a quote from George Washington stating, “The foundation of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable (unchanging over time) principles of private morality” (p.70). According to “The Law Dictionary” (thelawdictionary.org), the definition of private morality is “The private conduct of an individual that is not of concern to the society or the government and thus does not warranty an intrusion.” This would seem in contrast to the notion of public morality, to which Sommer is indirectly alluding, which refers to the actions that affect society.
Probably the most compelling work in this book occurs in the final chapter. In many senses, the final 24 pages of the book present the most relevant evidence in favor of character education in schools. At times I differ with Sommer’s perspective in this chapter (e.g., if you punish hard enough students will act good and that represents teaching good character). Yet, his strongest arguments in favor of requiring students to attend schools that promote character education are presented here. Referring to A Gift of Character: The Chattanooga Story by Philip Fitch Vincent, Nancy Reed, and Jesse Register (2001), Sommer rightfully presents his case that public schools “must instill in students a knowledge and love of good” (p. 93). He strengthens his position by referring further to Vincent et al., and the need for public schools to address the false promise of the self-esteem movement as a means to help students develop civic and virtuous traits; recognizing that feeling good is not the same as being good (p. 93)! Ultimately Sommer gets to the key point for educators: character education is not a separate subject from core disciplines for students to learn. He finishes strong with three very important points: (1) there is no one answer to the question; (2) the solution will not happen all at once; and (3) everyone must become involved in the education of children.
