Public Comment

Can we regain our reputation as decent Americans?

Romila Khanna
Friday August 26, 2016 - 11:35:00 AM

Can we accord priority to the most important issue? It seems we don’t give sufficient importance to values-orientated education. By ‘education’ I don’t mean the acquisition of book knowledge or perfection in sports. I mean awareness of our responsibilities towards other human beings as I was shocked to learn about how some American athletes behaved in Rio. Winning a gold medal should not entitle an athlete to behave badly. I wish our team had the character to act responsibly while they were guests. Can we regain our reputation as decent Americans? 

We should emphasize character-building education from early schooling on. We should encourage the practice of thinking well of others. As teachers, we should dwell on the positive in our students, and encourage them as students to recognize the positive in one another. 

We all are connected to other human beings. Our behavior must express how much we owe for our survival and privilege to the human web.