We have the duty to teach the importance of values and responsibility to our children, not only right from wrong, but values such as fairness, courage, honor, and respect for others with differing views/values that play a critical role in the healthy development of America's youth.

Character education has been the subject of much discussion in recent years, dating back to Vice President Dan Quayle’s needling of Murphy Brown about family values. When first introduced, many viewed character education as a veiled attempt to teach a specific religion or ideology. Lately, as more and more public schools have adopted character-education programs, the promotion of a universal set of values, which transcend religious and political differences, has become not only accepted, but essential to the healthy development of America’s youth.

Studies have shown that 90 percent of adults in our country believe the ethical and moral values of our youth have declined in recent years. The nightly news tells us on a regular basis about increased school violence, teen pregnancy, and drug use. A majority of adults in America believe these problems have reached a “crisis” stage. And for good reason:

In a recent survey cited by the Boston Globe, more than half of the ninth-graders in an affluent suburb said they saw nothing wrong with stealing a compact disc or keeping money found in a lost wallet.

A report on character found that 37 percent of high school students had used illegal drugs in the past year.

In a national study of eighth-graders, half of those surveyed had tried alcohol in the past year, and more than one-quarter revealed they had been drunk.

Young people lacking direction and focus often display destructive behaviors such as violence, theft, drug and alcohol use, and promiscuity. They are often isolated from their parents and community, disconnected from the guideposts designed to help them through the difficult years of adolescence. Scouting has the answers to reach these youth.

For my generation, rebelling meant staying out an hour past curfew. Today, the rebellion is much more serious and can sometimes be life threatening. Fortunately, there is little disagreement about how to solve many of these problems. Studies have shown that one of the best solutions is early and consistent education about commonly held values like honesty, compassion, fairness, integrity, and respect.

Youth who learn and practice these common values have a much better chance of avoiding negative outcomes and succeeding in life.

And while building character is primarily the responsibility of parents and family, youth development organizations and society must play a supporting role. Since 1910, the Boy Scouts of America has taught a universally recognized set of values and constants. The Boy Scouts of America believes and, through nearly a century of experience, knows that helping youth develop a strong sense of character is key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society. In fact, 74 percent of Scouting youth feel the Scouting program helps them tell the difference between right and wrong.

As is the case with life’s most important lessons, no one automatically develops good character; it can only be learned. Constant reinforcement and direction are necessary to make sure good character becomes embedded in a youth’s everyday living. Only by actively testing and applying these lessons in real-life situations will youth become aware of what these values mean. Beginning with the Scout Oath and Scout Law, Scouting activities teach, reinforce, and give Scouts the chance to demonstrate what they’ve learned.

George Washington once said, “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”

At the end of the day, character does count. And because the future of our country rests on the shoulders of America’s youth, building strong character is one of the Boy Scouts of America’s more important responsibilities.