When I send birthday cards to my nieces and nephews, some get more cash than others based on their age, their current job status, and other relevant life events, such as recent car trouble. This is one small way that I can wish everyone a happy birthday while providing extra assistance to loved ones who need it most. Their needs vary from year to year. My point is that equality and equity are two different things. To be equal is to maintain sameness; to be equitable is to achieve fairness—even when sameness gives way to variance, as with my annual birthday card enclosures.
Character (Still) Counts: Moral Injury and the Case for Character Education
Many academic leaders remember the Character Counts! initiative from the 1990s and early 2000s. It was visible in schools and youth programs nationwide, emphasizing as core values the Six Pillars
Teresa Maggard Stephens
June 15, 2026
