20-2-145. (a) The State Board of Education shall develop by the start of the 1997-1998 school year a comprehensive character education program
for levels K-12. This comprehensive character education program shall be known as the "character curriculum" and shall focus on the student's
development of the following character traits: courage, patriotism, citizenship, honesty, fairness, respect for others, kindness, cooperation,
self-respect, self- control, courtesy, compassion, tolerance, diligence, generosity, punctuality, cleanliness, cheerfulness, school pride,
respect for the environment, respect for the creator, patience, creativity, sportsmanship, loyalty, perseverance, and virtue.
Such programs shall also address by the start of the 1999-2000 school year methods of discouraging bullying and
violent acts against fellow students. Local boards shall implement such a program in all grade levels at the
beginning of the 2000-2001 school year and shall provide opportunities for parental involvement in
establishing expected outcomes of the character education program. (b) The Department of
Education shall develop character education workshops designed for employees of
local school systems.