From Zero to Hero

 As much as I don't like blogging about news or politics, I am delighted that the Alberta court of appeals decided in favour of a teacher who was suspended and then fired for giving 0's to students for homework that was not finished or was not handed in.  His school had a no 0's policy and he was brave enough and realistic enough about the real world to go ahead and give the, what I consider proper, 0 grade when deserved by the neglectful students.  The courts not only upheld what he did, he was awarded all his back pay and pension top up for the time he was out of the classroom.

This teacher was doing the students a huge favour by allowing them to suffer the consequences of their own actions.  That is the way the world still works to a large extent, even in North America, the most deluded continent in the world when it comes to ideas of "self-esteem" and "positive self talk" and its emphasis on the rights of children.  Unfortunately childrens' rights are being translated into allowing the poor kids to do and say whatever they want, whenever they want; no limits or discipline or borders to their actions.  Why can't we understand that we are not loving them by allowing them to run wild?  Why do we not understand true discipline as a loving teacher that keeps them from all kinds of harm and dire consequences because their lack of life experience gives them unrealistic expectations about their own ideas and actions?  I am not talking about abusing them, I am talking about helping them understand cause and effect. Leading them to believe otherwise is cruelty, not love.

It seems that so many parents I have known over the past 2 generations of offspring being born are not enforcing standards or discipline because they are just plain too lazy to put in the time and effort it takes to truly help their children.  I hear all kinds of excuses about not wanting to damage the child's self-esteem etc., but in reality it seems to translate into a simple selfishness that puts everything from the parents' all mighty careers to their bowling league buddies ahead of expressing true love for their own kids. The kids are left too often to absorb life's lessons through some kind of mysterious and non-existent osmosis.

We now have a generation of people in their 20's and 30's who have no concept of being motivated and disciplined enough to even bother to show up for work on time, who can't grasp that their personal needs and wants are not the centre of everyone else's universe, who are sincerely shocked when anyone challenges them about their words and actions, who strive and fail over and over to reach goals in areas they have no ability to attain even though they envision themselves as being able. What could be more self-esteem destroying than that??  

All we have really taught our kids is how to be selfish and self-centered.  How is this being loving parents?  I wonder what would happen to North Americans, particularly this latest generation of Millenials, if there was to be a major war on our own soil.  How would they deal with losing all their perceived rights?  Emotionally and mentally they would be the first to feel the heat of a harsh reality that is so foreign to them as they begin their adult lives still with a child's naivety.

Having said that, I applaud all the parents and children who have muddled through the maze of today's families and the lack of cohesion in societal standards and who are faring pretty well for themselves.  Fortunately there are still a few of them left.

Hopefully the rest of the population will begin to understand that the Alberta teacher who gave 0's to students who did not do their school work was actually doing more to help them with life than the school policy that forbade him doing it.  Love is NOT never having to say you're sorry!!