May 28th, 2010
Take out a piece of paper and write this list in alphabetical order:
Macdonald, Mackenzie, Abbott, Thompson, Bowell, Tupper, Laurier, Borden, Meighen, King, Bennett, St. Laurent, Diefenbaker, Pearson, Trudeau, Clark, Turner, Mulroney, Campbell, Chretien, Martin, Harper
Uh… hello? Didn’t I just ask you to put the above list in alphabetical order? Why didn’t you do it? Is it because that would be a tedious exercise providing neither an amusing level of challenge nor a beneficial final product? That might seem like a good enough justification to you, young adult accustomed to liberty, but do you think refusing the same work for the same reason would fly in a public school classroom? Hah! Your insubordination would run you into the very same consequences you’d get for pulling Sally’s ponytail.
Teacher, what gives you the authority to insist that students do what you ask? “Well, the work is in their own best interest. They don’t know what’s good for them! After all they’re only...” darkies, injuns, broads. Mark my words. A time will come when “kids” is a derogatory term. It already offends me.
To my future students: you have the right to refuse uncool work.
Macdonald, Mackenzie, Abbott, Thompson, Bowell, Tupper, Laurier, Borden, Meighen, King, Bennett, St. Laurent, Diefenbaker, Pearson, Trudeau, Clark, Turner, Mulroney, Campbell, Chretien, Martin, Harper
Uh… hello? Didn’t I just ask you to put the above list in alphabetical order? Why didn’t you do it? Is it because that would be a tedious exercise providing neither an amusing level of challenge nor a beneficial final product? That might seem like a good enough justification to you, young adult accustomed to liberty, but do you think refusing the same work for the same reason would fly in a public school classroom? Hah! Your insubordination would run you into the very same consequences you’d get for pulling Sally’s ponytail.
Teacher, what gives you the authority to insist that students do what you ask? “Well, the work is in their own best interest. They don’t know what’s good for them! After all they’re only...” darkies, injuns, broads. Mark my words. A time will come when “kids” is a derogatory term. It already offends me.
To my future students: you have the right to refuse uncool work.