Blurred Lines and the Absence of Deterring Consequences
“I quit.” In essence, humbly, tact and eloquence aside, at the infancy of what was supposed to be an assignment for the balance of the academic year, that is what I communicated to a school administrator one week ago today. Respectfully, I’ve worked to build a personal work ethic and brand, if you will, that affords me options and I delighted in exercising them with the quickness. Disheartened by both student behavior and subsequent administrative responses, in full recognition of my value, intent, and triggers, and in the absence, from my perspective, of remedies and consequences strong enough to deter behavior that is detrimental from the purpose of its very existence, I chose to bounce. From what I’ve witnessed during the past few years as a Substitute Teacher, there are far too many children who don’t understand the relationship between their actions and their ultimate consequences. Dictionary.com defines consequence as ‘the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.” Politely, without painting with a broad brush, I’m concerned. The coarse and rampant disrespect shown towards adults and others in authority. The dismissiveness towards the importance of learning. The normalization of such behavior that ill prepares them for the challenges of the real world. I pray that those who have already gone astray find correction.