"American" Ethics

One of the key topics we discussed in class this week in the question "Should public schools instruct students in American values?". First of all, I think it is necessary to define the word "american" and what it means to have "american value". I think that "american values" should be any set of ethics that is present in any person living in America today, but society has, as society often does, manufactured a universal stereotype of what being american should mean. In my point of view the american stereotype often includes being financially stable, white, christian, and consumer oriented. Some may disagree with me but this is what I usually see throughout the media. This stereotype obviously nowhere near encompasses the culture of every american and it is unfortunate that this is considered the standard. Therefore, my answer to the question "Should public schools instruct students in American values?" is most definitely no because I believe there are no true American value, and only values manufactured by others and believed to be the values of all. If you were to teach the ethics of all of America you would not have enough time in a lifetime. I also disagree with teaching someone someones else's ethics because I believe that ethics, morals, and values are meant to be learned and discovered by the individual uninfluenced by those around them. I believe that it is someone's jurisdiction to determine their belief of right, wrong, and the purpose of life.