Faith questions concern parents

Bethlehem

Students at Bethlehem Central Middle School will soon be asked to fill out a 96-question survey to assess their character strengths. Four of those questions ask about faith: "I have a faith that I practice, I feel better when I pray, I believe there is a higher power that points me to do the right thing, There is a higher power looking out for my best interests."

Some parents said they object to those questions being asked in a public school.

"If it's a tool for discussion, it's OK, but I don't want my daughter to be judged because she is not a person of faith," said Donna Patterson, a mother of a Bethlehem eighth-grader.

The survey is part of a schoolwide effort to promote positive values. The school hosts pizza parties for students who display good character traits like caring, respect and fairness. Teachers give out Eagle Awards throughout the school day to students who show acts of kindness, courtesy and cooperation. A lunch table is set aside each week to recognize students who behave positively during lunch.

Taking the survey is optional. Students who fill it out will enter their email address and unique student ID number. The principal and teachers will see individual students' responses, according to parents who attended a recent PTO meeting where the survey was discussed.

"I'm all for it," said Kathleen Gleason, who is curious to see how her eighth-grader scores on spirituality. It doesn't matter what God they pray to or what church they attend, but faith is something everyone needs in their life, Gleason said.

"Unfortunately, some people will disagree with this," she said about the survey. "They always say don't talk about politics or religion in school."

Several parents said they don't object to the spiritual questions, but wondered why a public school would delve into that touchy area.

The Bethlehem Central School District did not respond to questions about the survey or a request to interview principal Michael Klugman for this story.

The survey serves two purposes, according to the school's website. It helps students identify their strengths, and it will evaluate whether the character education program is effective because students will take the survey again.

The online survey was created by the Via Institute on Character, an organization that has implemented its character training programs in the Army, private corporations and throughout the nation through a network of life coaches. The institution is the home base of the positive psychology movement.

The middle school's website describes positive psychology in the words of Martin Seligman, co-founder of the Via Institute and the father of positive psychology: "Psychology should be about more than just helping 'broken' people get to normal. It should be about helping normal people live more flourishing lives."

Thirteen years ago, Seligman and Neal H. Mayerson convened more than 50 researchers to identify the best character traits in human beings. The group scoured scientific papers and literature of the humanities and determined there are 24 universal "character strengths." The list includes creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, bravery, integrity, love, kindness, fairness, leadership, humility, appreciation of beauty, humor and spirituality.

The Via survey was created to measure those character traits and create a database to study character more scientifically.

It has its critics. Some soldiers refused to take the survey as part of the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. Atheist groups representing soldiers wrote letters calling the program unconstitutional.

Other researchers have questioned the science behind positive psychology research and the Via survey.

"It is pretty ridiculous from a psychology research point of view," said psychologist James Coyne of the University of Pennsylvania and University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Survey respondents can easily figure out the "right" answer and get a perfect score by checking the box in the left-most column. Coyne also said it is biased toward the wealthy. "It's a test for rich people because it is really responsive to the opportunities you have in your environment," he said.

Several questions ask whether the respondent appreciates beauty or goes to art exhibits or performances.

"At best it's silly. At worst it can be misused and harmful," Coyne said of the survey.

Neal H. Mayerson, co-founder the Via Institute, said the survey is imperfect. Yes, a respondent can lie, and it does have a few questions that some people may think odd, like the art exhibit questions, he said. "It is really meant to be used in circumstances where people are trying to understand themselves better," he said.

Respondents are scored on their own strengths and receive a list that ranks their strengths from the highest to the lowest.

"Because we live in such a deficit-oriented culture, the natural tendency is to look at the bottom and say what are my weaknesses," Mayerson said, but "this survey doesn't measure weaknesses; it only measures strengths."

Some schools have opted to remove the spirituality questions, said Mary Judd, a Delmar writer and educator who has trained to be a coach in positive psychology techniques. Judd is working with Bethlehem middle school on the character education program.

Judd said the survey results are a conversation-starter. The survey helps students identify their strengths and help teachers recognize positive traits in their students.

"Middle school is a notorious age for kids being hard on themselves and comparing themselves to others," Judd said. "This helps kids see themselves in a different light."

It is a snapshot that measures traits that change over time, Mayerson said.

"Don't take it as the gospel," he said. "Take it as something to consider and think about."

ccrowley@timesunion.com518-454-5348@cathleencrowley

Sample of Via survey questions

The Via survey measures 24 character strengths. Below is a sample of questions from the students' survey. Respondents read the statements and select the answer that best describes them: Very much like me, mostly like me, somewhat like me, not much like me, not like me at all

• There is someone who will listen to me when I have a problem.

• I am less than honest if it will keep me out of trouble.

• I often stay mad at people even when they apologize.

• When others tell me about their problems, I become very concerned.

• I am usually full of energy.

• I expect good things to come my way.

• I am always interested in discovering more.

• I do the right thing even if others tease me for it.

• I enjoy creating things that are new and different.

• I have a faith that I practice.

• I feel better when I pray.

• I do kind things for people on my own without being told.

• I feel loved.

• When someone is being treated unfairly, I stick up for them.

• I believe there is a Higher Power that points me to do the right thing.

• People look up to me as a leader and they give me their trust.

• People say that I am funny.

• I openly express my feelings to my family and friends.

• I like going to art exhibits or performances.

• There is a Higher Power looking out for my best interests.

• I am able to solve problems in a way that is pleasing to everyone.

Leave a Reply