Max Cleland: “when I was a boy growing up in Lithonia, GA, I was privileged to have accomplished and dedicated teachers who provided…”

“when I was a boy growing up in Lithonia, GA, I was privileged to have accomplished and dedicated teachers who provided me with a strong foundation in the three R's. Thanks to their capable and committed efforts, I received an excellent education in reading, writing, and arithmetic. And thanks to their good example and their ability to teach through inspiration, I was also well versed in the fourth R, which I call ``respect.'' What my teachers demonstrated so effectively almost five decades ago is that character education is essential to any well-rounded system of education. We can work together to help ensure that all children in America will start school ready to learn. We can pool our efforts-- parents, teachers, community leaders, and elected officials--to enable our students to be first in the world in scientific and academic achievement. But I believe the greatest gift and most effective tool we can give to our children is to instill in them, from the beginning, the values and beliefs which help mold their character.”