Re: U.S.: What are we teaching our kids?

<< The Situation: A Fifth Grader happens to witness the theft of
a test answer sheet by some others. If he tells then, he will
be targeted and probably hurt. Naturally scared, he goes home,
and talks to his folks about it. The next morning, he does
report the incident to the school authorities.
The Result: _He_ is placed on 5 day no-recess, 5 day community
service, and 5 day lunch detention. (No word about the others.)
His crime? Not telling _fast_ enough.
The Lesson: According to him "Never tell the truth. Ever."

This is probably not a Scouts-L issue, but I will wade in anyway. In my
opinion, what is described is a direct result of a failure of our society to
recognize wisdom and a failure to learn how to acquire wisdom.

If the results described are true, they result from a not uncommon school "no
toleration" policy. This is the same sort of policy that gives students
taking aspirin in school a suspension for drug use.

Our society has gotten to the point where we have forgotten how to think. And
we have forgotten why we used to put people who can think in responsible
positions. Instead, because we are concerned about certain behaviours, and
because we do not trust the ability of administrators to properly handle
certain behaviours, we create no exceptions- no tolerance rules. This is the
same theory that was promulgated to cut down a judges ability to grant
appropriate sentences in certain federal and state criminal matters.

How do you solve it? Beats me. For my part I try to teach using wisdom,
rather than manipulating facts. I love my computer. But all the data
manipulation in the world will not create the answer to moral or life
experience questions. For that you need wisdom. The wisdom found in our
great books, like the bible, like the great moral thinkers, ranging from
Aristotle to Jesus to Moses to Emerson, and in some instances, Baden Powell or
Bill Hillcourt.

Wow. Send flames. Send them now. I will hide.

Yours in Scouting,

G. John Marmet

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