Character education via television is the most common character education program we have these days. Virtually every young person is included, from toddler through teenager, and the cost is very low. We don’t have to find a place in busy schedules, since television is available all of the time. We don’t have to train teachers, since they are provided by the television channels. We don’t need materials, since complimentary materials are provided. All we have to do is allow young people access to a television set and they will get a good education in the actions that constitute moral excellence.
Do you believe that? Do you believe that character education is facilitated by the programs your young people watch on television?
A study done three years ago showed that both boys and girls who watch a lot of violence on TV have an increased risk of aggressive adult behavior, including spousal abuse and criminal offenses – and that is true no matter how they act in childhood. The study, reported in the March 2003 issue of the journal “Developmental Psychology,” was done by psychologists L. Rowell Huesmann and colleagues at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research. It included hundreds of participants, each of whom was interviewed at age 6, again at age 9, and finally in their early twenties. The study cited televised violence for teaching young people that aggression is sometimes the right thing to do, especially when the violence is used by appealing heroes. Television shared the blame with movies.
Superman, for example, is said by several reviewers to exhibit “just enough violence.” One reviewer, whose name was not provided with the review, tells us, “The show portrays Superman as a man of impeccable character, thus we are less inclined to question the nature of his methods.”
The message seems to be that impeccable character can be maintained while being violent and aggressive, as long as the end justifies the means.
Is this the kind of character education we want for our young people? Do we want to teach them that compassion, as it is defined and modeled in Pandora Puppy’s Caring Circle, is dispensable when violence serves our purposes better?
Character education via television is a poor choice. Character education is not facilitated by the programs your young people watch on television, and those who want to build character in young people need to be alert to that fact. I think it is dangerous even to play clips in which characters demonstrate a clear lack of character, as students will often focus more on the poor role model than on the lesson you want to convey.
The best weapon against the effects of violence in television programming is to surround young people with those who consistently model compassion and other strong character traits. If you are a professional educator, you will find a deeper discussion on good role models in Character Education 101, a free eCourse for teachers. If you are a parent, you will find useful information at our premium membership site.
Whatever your source, be sure you offer young people an abundance of positive character role models. Television and the movies are definitely not qualified.
That’s the view from my chair. What’s your view?