Raised Right

I have spent the week having Parent Conferences. I am always intrigued to meet the parents of my students. Over the past twenty years, I've encountered some pretty wonderful kids. There are a lot of parents who are being careful, and conscientious. They are teaching their children how to be courteous, polite, kind, and thoughtful. They are parenting responsibly.

Contrast that to the ride in my car after school today, on my way to the clay store. A campaign rally speech came on the radio. I listened for about three minutes. The tone, the content, the cynicism, the ignorance. I turned it off. How could anyone give audience to such a horrid person? Why are people attending these rallies?

And, I kept thinking about the kids that I have known. Our leader was just not "raised right". No one who demonstrates such behavior, could have been taught by loving or caring parents. Or maybe these traits are difficult to instill in a sociopath. Either way, listening to his rhetoric is like having your soul beaten with a baseball bat. I worry for our country. The fact that there is even one single person attending these rallies is cause for great national sorrow.

Then, there is the example that this person spreads. Two children asked me today, during gate duty, if I liked Donald Trump. I told them that I didn't ever share my political beliefs with kids, because I want students to think for themselves, and to form their own opinions. Both are students who I know extremely well. They had puzzled, concerned looks on their faces. "But, do you believe in him?" This seemed to be the magic question for me. I finally told them that I did not believe in him. I had to. I spend all year teaching about "Level 6 Behavior". I didn't want them to think that I was a hypocrite. The bottom line is that you can't applaud any part of the agenda, without accepting all of the hatred, racism, misogyny, and dishonesty.

Their question brought up an interesting notion. "But, do you believe in him?" Is he akin to Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy? My theory that he is some sort of cult leader was again reinforced. Guess what? I am most certainly not a believer, because I was "raised right".
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