The relative importance of authority and being authentic
Thursday 8 November 2007
The child, in his one day a week at school, was sent to the office today. The teacher saw he had something mass produced which should be shared with all, and as he didn’t have enough to do so, requested him to throw it away. He saw her demanding he throw away a treasure bestowed by beloved neighbors, a couple who have ‘adopted’ him as their ‘grandchild’, whom he adores, and loudly held his ground with a “NO!” Shocked, she only saw defiance of authority (after all, even in a gifted classroom, isn’t tunquestioning obedience the most important thing to happen in school?!), and sent him to cool in the office where he proudly “made friends” with “class bullies” several years his senior instead of investigating his reasons for this unusual display of temper. (Her asking “Why not?” would have sufficed!) Much as I deplore his timing and lack of insight… What could I possibly say to her that would fit into her neat blocks of time and tidy mindset? I could hardly keep from laughing out loud or showing my disgust with her myopic priorities. Maybe later. As long as the imp understands, and learns from this situation. How much should I encourage him to adapt to the world to function within it, and how much encourage him to change the world to shape it into a better place for us all?!