Opus 2015-152: I Am Evil

At least that is the conclusion I have been forced to accept.  It seems that I fail students who do all their work, are never late and work hard.  At least that is their story and they are sticking to it.

I must be evil.

When you compare my stand to the school district I work in, I qualify.  The official policy is that they can fail two core classes on their final report and still walk in promotion.  This is a district that believes in high standards and rigor.  As one parent screamed, “What are they trying to teach these kids, that they can do nothing and be successful?”  I told her she was preaching to the choir.

I care about my students but I care about their future chance of a productive life.  I am not overly concerned about how they feel about me in eighth grade.  I hope they will live to thank me but I am not holding my breath.  I am just one little tinkle in a symphony of self-esteem self-destruction.  I am afraid that by the time they wake up to reality they will be living in a hovel and dependent on the nanny state.

So I must continue living with myself as an evil person.  I can deal with it.  I am not sure they will be able to.

homo unius libri