Character before competency. Always.
Does character still matter in an age of intelligent machines?
Joseph-Siffred Duplessis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Moment
For two hundred and fifty years, the American system of self-government has held, longer than almost anyone expected. It doesn’t always feel that way right now. Political noise, economic uncertainty, and a wave of AI tools arriving faster than most of us can evaluate them.
The Franklin Standard starts from something the founding generation understood well. A free people needs character as much as it needs capability. That was true long before AI. It’s more true now.
Civic Virtue | AI Literacy
The program
The Franklin Standard is built around Benjamin Franklin’s own thirteen virtues, the character disciplines he tracked on a chart three hundred years before habit trackers existed. Each one is grounded in founding-era primary sources, tested through evidence-based argument, and applied directly to the judgment calls AI now hands us every day. It starts with a free five-day challenge and grows from there, into courses that end with a badge you earn through your own work.
The Founder
Lara Kemp Beard is the founder of The Franklin Standard™. For almost 20 years her work has centered on building and assessing skills in real work: certified training in rubric-based scoring, portfolio programs built on concrete demonstrations of skill, and professional training at George Washington's Mount Vernon. Her approach rests on inquiry, close reading of primary sources, and formal argumentation done the hard way, with no shortcuts.The Franklin Standard grows out of that same conviction: that character is teachable, and that good judgment matters more, not less, as machines take on more of our thinking. Built on the thirteen virtues Benjamin Franklin tracked on a chart nearly three hundred years ago, it helps people practice the habits that keep their own judgment in charge of the tools they use.Lara holds a BA in History from Hendrix College and an MA in Secondary Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Three ways to start
The Franklin Method Challenge
Five days, about ten minutes a day. See how Franklin worked on his character, in his own account, and how his method fits your work with AI tools.
The Character Standard for AI Work
$39, one time. All thirteen virtues in seven days, about 15 minutes a day. You keep a private Character Log, write your first rule for working with AI, and earn a badge you can add to LinkedIn.
The Personal AI Standard
$59, one time. Seven days with your own real work, about 30 minutes a day. You write your own standard for using AI at work, read and reviewed by me.
Policy Statements
How I Use AI
The Franklin Standard asks people to say plainly how AI contributed to their work. I hold myself to the same standard, so here is how I use it.I work with Claude, an AI assistant made by Anthropic. Claude helps me research, organize my thinking, and draft. It also handles much of the behind-the-scenes work of running our community on Mighty Networks: scheduling posts, keeping track of what needs attention, and preparing reports for me.Some things stay with me. I write or approve the final words of everything members and the public read from The Franklin Standard. I check the facts myself, and I check every Franklin quote against his own writings. When I reply to you, I write or approve that reply myself.If you submit work for a Franklin Standard badge, Claude may prepare notes comparing your portfolio to the published rubric. Those notes help me read carefully; they don't decide anything. I make every badge decision myself, and I read every submission in full. We ask you to remove private details before you submit, and nothing you submit is used to train AI models.Franklin's rule for Sincerity was "Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly." AI is a remarkable tool. How we use it is still a matter of character, and this is how I hold myself to mine.Lara Kemp Beard, Founder. Last updated October 2026.
Who Stands Behind the Badge
I'm Lara Kemp Beard, founder of The Franklin Standard™. For almost 20 years my work has centered on building and assessing skills in real work.I've completed certified training in applying rubrics and scoring research and technical writing; designed a citizenship program built around concrete demonstrations of learning and purposeful portfolio construction; led professional training at George Washington's Mount Vernon from 2016 to 2020 on skills-based assessment and portfolio curation; and worked on mastery transcripts, which measure skills in real work against a clear standard.These badges aren't technical AI certifications or accredited credentials. They recognize developing judgment, shown in your own work and judged against a published rubric. I make every award decision myself.
© The Franklin Standard TM. All rights reserved. How I use AI · Who stands behind the badge