Late to School? Sorry, No Excuses Allowed

Great rant on John Scalzi's blog: https://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/10/08/saved-by-the-bell/#comments It struck home for a lot of people, including me. The insistance by most schools that even a few minutes of tardiness in getting to school deserves punishment. Quite amazing, though it shouldn't be, that the practice in force over half a century ago, when I was in school, is still the norm. 

Does it take an extraordinary level of intelligence to realize that now, just as then, what school is for is to prepare the next generation of workers, train them to unquestioning obedience and acceptance of their powerlessness?

It took me until high school to find my inner rebel, but when I did, school lost its power over me. My rebellion was quiet, and affected no one but myself, but it was enough to bring out the fangs of the adults around me. All that did was convince me that power was often exercised for power's sake, not for any justifiable or sensible reason. I wish there was a way for that insight to reach down to the youngest students and give them the courage to defend themselves. 

X-posted from DreamWidth

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