The "Be" Controversy

To make meaning of Canadian curricular outcomes, we use the "Know", "Do", "Be" framework, or KDB. Let's break this down, the "Know" and the "Do" are more objective concepts, easily testable, objective, and can be turned into something tangible. We all like tangible things. We feel at ease with tangible things. It's when we get into the disputed, subjective, "Be" part of the frame work, thats when we start to see people struggle.

The story goes that there was a boy who preformed up to standard academically, achieving the "Know" and the "Do", but failing to hit par on the "Be". The school felt the boy did not reflect good values or character, and therefore failed to pass him. Now, you can imagine how angry his parents would be, suing the school claiming the wrongful failure of their son on the grounds of the values the school came up with.

The "Be" is a value base concept that exists not only in school but in all aspects of society. To fulfill and exceed the "Be" we are supposed to meet the values set out for us, by showing good character, having good work ethic, and overall being a pleasant, societally accepted person. In schools, these values are implicitly interwoven in the curriculum. They have their shining moments in character awards and social justice education, but who decides what values are important, and how they are assessed? This is where the problem comes in. There is no standardized test for being a good classmate, yet teachers feel increasingly like character in the classroom matters. The school boards addressed the issue of assessment of the "Be" by reflecting them in the learning skill and work habits portion of the report card. However, the problem here, is there is very limited space for explanation and we'd be lying to ourselves if we thought this assessment wasn't entirely subjective.

So I'll just leave these questions here...
Does it really matter if you're character is on point if your are excelling in academia?
Is the "Be" really necessary in the framework? and if it's not, what can we expect from society in the future as we move towards a more competitive nature, leaving character and values in the background.