As discussed in another thread, common heroes and role models are still human and even if they do something great doesn't mean they don't have a huge flaw elsewhere.
I grew up in the States, and the common way history was taught there is that the heroes (particularly early Presidents) are lauded and loved and their darker, truer side of history is brushed away and hidden, with possible brief mentions until high school that are all explained away. For me (and many others I know), when I learned the actual reality of it, their faults became so large it was hard to sort out my head on how people could consider these people great when they had done such horrible things. The horrible things became so much more important, possibly because it was hidden - they had to be worse if people refused to talk about, I guess from the mindset of a child.
Now, kids enjoy heroes and need role models (in addition to ones in their lives) and today's common role models of TV stars and characters may be more of hurt and than a help to many kids and young people. Using examples from history and modern day is still common in teaching history and current events, but how do tell their stories to give realistic role models (to avoid the hero worship let down) without turning it into 'all the people you thought were awesome and worth following were really just dicks and humanity sucks' that could easily come out of it. Finding the balance can be difficult, I find, as well as finding a diversity of 'real heroes' that are so often overlooked - women as well as other under represented groups.