Dr. Bill Hsiang recently spoke at IUCC to announce the launch of a new initiative.

A new year begins with the ethical norms and principles of our nation at risk. Please take time to watch his impassioned words.

Ethics in Wonderland offers a compelling visual image of the ethical morass we find ourselves in—and provides a path forward. EiW asks: Does it feel like ETHICS has fallen down a rabbit hole, hopelessly wandering in Wonderland, where nothing makes sense? The Tea Party invites people of all backgrounds and beliefs to come together to find ways to restore ETHICS to its rightful place. We’ll address the issues that harm us all and explore solutions that benefit everyone. Could this help bridge the divide in our nation? Wouldn’t that be a good thing?

The context: In the mid-1980s, the IUSD School Board adopted a Values Education program, designed to incorporate ethical values into every classroom from kindergarten through 12th grade. At the time, I wondered: Do we, as a community, exemplify the values we are teaching our children? If not, can Values Education truly succeed?

I proposed that IUSD host an Ethics Town Forum to invite the community to engage in this critical conversation. Michael Josephson, founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics (JI), served as the keynote speaker. He also initiated the national Character Counts campaign, which encouraged young people to develop character based on core ethical values: RESPECT, TRUSTWORTHINESS, RESPONSIBILITY, CARING, FAIRNESS, and CITIZENSHIP. The campaign was widely recognized, earning bipartisan support in Congress and a resolution signed by the President.